Drive-Bys

Uh oh!

Your Love Life is Like Annie Hall

"A relationship, I think, is like a shark. You know? It has to constantly move forward or it dies." You believe that love (if you even believe in love!) is a very complicated thing. Maybe love is pain. Or maybe it's all a big therapy session. You're still figuring it out. Your love style: Brainy and a bit neurotic Your Hollywood Ending Will Be: Realistic and reflective

What Movie Is Your Love Life Like?

This is ironic because I hated that movie when it first came out, and I don't like it any better today.

(A tip of the cap to the lovely Poppy.)
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Okay. While I'm at it...

Your Power Element is Fire

Your power color: red Your energy: hot Your season: spring Like a fire, you are full of power and light. A born leader, you easily draw people toward you. You are full of courage and usually up for anything dangerous. You have a huge ego and love to be the center of attention.

What's Your Power Element?

Yup. Huge ego. That's me.
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Your Aura is Violet

Idealistic and thoughtful, you have the mind and ideas to change the world. And you have the charisma of a great leader, even if you don't always use it! The purpose of your life: saying truths that other people dare not say Famous purples include: Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., Susan B. Anthony Careers for you to try: Political Activist, Inventor, Life Coach

What Color Is Your Aura?

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Your Interpersonal Intelligence Score: 81%

Your Interpersonal Intelligence is Very High You go beyond being a "people person." Connecting with people is the most important thing in your life. You're empathetic, friendly, and outgoing. You are the kind of friend people dream of having. Your interpersonal intelligence is a gift. And you use it well.

How Does Your Interpersonal Intelligence Rate?

Scary.
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Speaking of scary...

You Have Your PhD in Men

You understand men almost better than anyone. You accept that guys are very different, and you read signals well. Work what you know about men, and your relationships will be blissful.

How Well Do You Understand Men?

Yikes.

Psssssst!

If you're in town this evening, we're holding Therapy Night here after work. (It's walking distance to Union Station and the Brown, Red, Orange, Blue and Green lines. It's crawling distance from Ogilvy Transportation Center.) You're more than welcome to join us!

And, yes -- tonight I need all the therapy I can get.

Why?


You might say I'm a little burned out.

(A tip of the smokey, but still wearable driver's cap to Alx Kive for the swell photo.)

Bus Fumes

When are we going to close our ports to any sort of Chinese foodstuff or chemical additives?
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Got kids of car seat age? Then you're going to want to read this. Aren't you glad to know the manufacturers care so much about your children?
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Note to self: Not cool to jam your pinkie finger in your sleep. Just not. Ouchie, ouchie, ouchie, ouchie. (Makes it most uncomfortable to type.)
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Great. Now this:

Your Score: Sap- ESFJ

53% Extraversion, 46% Intuition, 46% Thinking, 80% Judging

Aww...you know that sensitive mamsy-pansy sap I was talking about earlier? Yeah. Well, someone had to get it and you pulled the short straw. Now pull yourself together, crybaby.

You are quite possible one of the most sensitive people I know and I don't even know you! You care what each and every single person thinks about you. You're the kind of person who sends around a txt to everyone they know saying "i thnk ur prtty. wat do u thnk abt me? rate me frm 1-5."

That's 1 meaning "I hate you" and 5 meaning "You make me vomit when I look at you." You're still crying, aren't you?

Sure. All you want is for someone to appreciate you once in a while. Aww... Boohoo. Hold a pity party sometime. The garden's free. Lots of worms down there. Big ones. Small ones. Squishy ones.

My guess is you don't understand this test one bit. You can't imagine how anyone could be so insulting or why anyone could find it even remotely amusing...STOP THE DAMN WATERWORKS, WOMAN!

Naive is a word that needs to be branded on your forehead... Alright, now I feel bad. Sure, you do have some redeeming factors, just not many. Sorry.

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If you want to learn more about your personality type in a slightly less negative way, check out this.

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The other personality types are as follows...

Loner - Introverted Sensing Feeling Perceiving
Pushover - Introverted Sensing Feeling Judging
Criminal - Introverted Sensing Thinking Perceiving
Borefest - Introverted Sensing Thinking Judging
Almost Perfect - Introverted iNtuitive Feeling Perceiving
Freak - Introverted iNtuitive Feeling Judging
Loser - Introverted iNtuitive Thinking Perceiving
Crackpot - Introverted iNtuitive Thinking Judging
Clown - Extraverted Sensing Feeling Perceiving
Commander - Extraverted Sensing Thinking Perceiving
Do Gooder - Extraverted Sensing Thinking Judging
Scumbag - Extraverted iNtuitive Feeling Perceiving
Busybody - Extraverted iNtuitive Feeling Judging
Prick - Extraverted iNtuitive Thinking Perceiving
Dictator - Extraverted iNtuitive Thinking Judging

Link: The Brutally Honest Personality Test

Thanks, Poppy.

Traveling Companions

She'll be all the way back soon. I promise.
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In the meantime, don't forget to visit the Friday Ark and the Carnival of the Cats. Weekend Cat Blogging will be up at Dragonheart's Domain tomorrow.

Bus Fumes

Well, poop. I should have brought my camera yesterday, as they were blowing things up and making big fires right down the street from my office.

Why?

Batman, of course.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

(Yes, I have the camera today. I'll grab a few shots of the sea of trailers parked behind my office. And maybe I can catch some of the filming tonight.)
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Update:

Some character names to be looking for in the credits:




The view from above. Impossible to get them all into the frame this way!


Not particularly glamorous, huh?

Tootin' the Horn

The first time I clapped eyes on Kenny and Willie (yes, Willie is the tiger equivalent of a person with Down Syndrome) at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge, there were living in a cage with not a lot more than concrete and steel mesh.

Not anymore.

If this video of them taking their first steps into their new habitat doesn't bring a tear to your eye or a lump to your throat, nothing will.

Kudos to the all the folks at Turpentine Creek. Job well done.

Drive-Bys

It sounds like China is dead serious (literally) about improving food safety... but it appears that it is only due to fears the Beijing Olympics might be boycotted if the Chinese government did nothing. I'm not convinced that this is a meaningful effort. My personal boycott continues....
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Remember Livey's computer problems (scroll down)?

Behold!

The power of the blogosphere is a magical thing.

To anyone who kicked in to help, thank you, thank you, thank you!
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Your Toes Should Be Pink

You love to dress girly and work your feminine charms, with a bit of an edge. Your ideal guy: Is confident enough to get any girl he wants Stay away from: Jerks who only see you as eye candy

What Color Should Your Toenails Be?

Just so you know.

(A tip of the cap to that sassy Sourpuss.)
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$60,000 for a mattress??? *Ulp!* Tammi?

Drive-Bys

Authorities say Ahmad Abdallah Abu Ghanam had wrapped the gun in aluminum foil and a towel in his checked luggage....

Abu Ghanam is charged with the removal of a firearm serial number. He told police he bought the weapon on a street a month ago and didn't know the serial number was missing.

Oh, goody. I'm sure it's all a silly misunderstanding.
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Being as the three dumbasses in the cab were already "foobically intoxidated," they overshot and landed with an impressive splash, right in the MIDDLE of the waller. Where the truck promptly sank out of sight into the murky water.

Wonderful story telling! (And I love "foobically intoxidated"!)

Road Conditions

Do you live in Chicago? Are you fascinated by the film industry? Hate, hate, HATE it when traffic is rerouted and you don't know WHY? Answer yes to any of the above and the memo received from my office building's management today may be of interest to you:

Dear Customers:

Many of you are aware that there is a movie being filmed in the downtown area and in the upcoming weeks they will be closing many important streets as a product of the filming. I'm forwarding to all of you the most recent filming and street closure schedule that has been given to us. I hope this information helps to prevent any inconveniences.

2006 Film Services, Inc will be filming scenes for “Rory’s First Kiss” on Upper and Lower Wacker beginning Wednesday, July 11th and continuing through Sunday, July 22nd. Prior to filming, members of our crew will be prepping the area with set dressing and lighting equipment.

With the assistance of the Chicago Police Department, we will be staging nighttime street closures Wednesday, July 11th through Sunday, July 15th.

Please know that we will make every effort to accommodate local delivery/pick-up traffic, handicap transportation and other essential services. Traffic will be held in the following areas and times:

On Wednesday, July 11th
Upper Wacker Drive (From Van Buren to Adams) from 7pm to 9:30pm Van Buren St. (From Franklin to Clinton) from 6pm to 9:30pm Lower Wacker Drive (From Harrison to Michigan) from 7pm to 6am

On Thursday, July 12th
Upper Wacker Drive (From Van Buren to Madison) 6:30pm to 9:30pm Van Buren St. (From Franklin to Clinton) from 6:30pm to 9:30pm Monroe (River to Franklin) 6:30pm to 9:30pm Jackson (Canal to Franklin) 6:30pm to 9:30pm Adams (Canal to Franklin) 6;30pm to 9:30pm Lower Wacker Drive (From Harrison to Michigan) from 7pm to 6am

On Friday, July 13th
Upper Wacker Drive (From Van Buren to Adams) 6:30pm to 9:30pm Jackson (Canal to Franklin) 6:30pm to 9:30pm Lower Wacker Drive (From Harrison to Michigan) from 7pm to 6am

On Saturday, July 14th
Upper Wacker Drive (From Van Buren to Adams) 6pm to 9:30pm Jackson (Canal to Franklin) 6pm to 9:30pm Lower Wacker Drive (From Harrison to Michigan) from 7pm to 6am

On Sunday, July 15th
Upper Wacker Drive (From Van Buren to Adams) 6pm to 9:30pm Jackson (Canal to Franklin) 6pm to 9:30pm Lower Wacker Drive (From Harrison to Michigan) from 7pm to 6am

In addition we will be holding parking on the following streets on all of the above dates:

East side of Canal (Van Buren to Congress Pkwy Both sides of Franklin (Madison to Jackson) South side of Madison (Wacker to Franklin) Both sides of Lake (Franklin to LaSalle) Both sides of Franklin (Wacker to Randolph) Both sides of Post Pl. (Lake to Lower Wacker)

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Update: It appears that Rory's First Kiss is the shooting title for the next Batman movie. Ah! So that's why all those movie trailers are parked behind my office building!

Tootin' the Horn

I didn't want BabsRN to feel so bad about missing her two year blogiversary... so I went ahead and missed my own three year mark on Sunday.* Even back then it was an odd combination of linking and creative writing.

(That's a reminder that I really do need to spend more time on the creative writing end of things, I guess. Ah, well... when life slows down a mite, I'll put some more effort in that general direction.)

I had no idea when I started blogging just how much fun it would be, how many readers I'd pick up along the way, the incredible people it would bring into my realm of friendship and just how far I'd be willing to travel to meet up with them. I am forever grateful for that.

Milestones like this don't come along without a push in the first place. A huge "thank-you" to my BlogDaddy for the support and encouragement on the technical side of things (let alone for being a marvelous friend) and to my BlogMama for having the funky Blogger comments that catapulted me into signing up for a blog of my own when I was only trying to post a comment.

Happy Number Three to me!
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*But since I was still involved in the Ogmeet, I guess I had a good excuse!

Waving in the Rearview Mirror

Just a quick shout-out to all the folks who attended Ogmeet 2007 this weekend:

Shoe
Redneck
Zonker
Oddybobo
Tammi
T1G
Contagion
Ktreva
Harvey
TNT
Jon
Bloodspite
Teresa
Graumagus
Biloxi
The Great and Powerful Og

It was great to see each and every one of you.

(If you weren't able to attend -- I'll try to whip off a post about this wild and wacky group later. I haven't laughed like that in months!)
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And, yes -- we all wore underwear on our heads... Sheesh.

Drive-Bys

I'm only biting because a bunch of the cool chicks are doing this one:

Your Porn Star Name Is...

Sweetest Sin

What's Your Porn Star Name?

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Um............

You are Totally Realistic

"Romance" means you're about to roll your eyes. Seriously, you can do without the sap or drama -- save it for someone who has nothing really going on in their relationship For you, love is real - and easily integrated into your life. You don't need candles, flowers, or chocolates to know he's the one -- just some stimulating conversation... and maybe a great smile.

Are You a Romantic or Realistic Girl?

Yep.

(A tip of the cap to BabsRN for this one and the next two, as well.)
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Your Celebrity Boob Twin:

Lucy Lawless

Who's Your Celebrity Boob Twin?

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You Communicate Like a Man

When you communicate, you like to get to the point. You're not afraid to say what's on your mind - and leave it at that. Talking about your emotions drains you. You rather keep them to yourself. You prefer solving problems to wallowing in your sorrows.

Do You Communicate Like a Man or a Woman?

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Apparently Livey's computer finally bit the big one. A blogger without a computer is a scary, scary thing, and Livey, who lives on a restricted income, just doesn't have the cash to run right out and get a replacement.

Livey has a big heart and has been more than generous to others in the blogosphere -- just ask K or Nancy or Kellie. I sure hope others will be as generous to her.

If you can spare a buck or two, please drop by Northwoods Woman and hit her PayPal button.

Bloggers helping bloggers. It's a beautiful thing. Thanks a million!

From the Rowdies in the Back of the Bus

From the Sweetheart of Shell Knob, MO, comes this little tale:

Ole was walking home late at night, through the park, and sees a woman in the shadows.

"Twenty dollars!" she whispers.

He'd never been with a hooker before, but decides, what the hell, it's only twenty bucks.

So they hide in the bushes They're going 'at it' for a minute when all of a sudden a light flashes on them -- it's a police officer. "What's going on here, people?" asks the officer.

"I'm making luff to my vife," Ole answers indignantly.

"Oh, I'm sorry." says the cop. "I didn't know."

"Vell," says Ole, "I din't neder, 'til you shine that damn light in her face."

Whew!

Yes, it's been a crazy week... softened by the early arrival of my pal Shoe on Wednesday evening.

I picked her up at O'Hare and drove her straight up to the joint where I moonlight on the weekends. Jimmy himself was manning the grill and serving up kebobs, burgers and other goodies for staff, friends of the restaurant and family. Good food, good drinks, good peeps. After a few a few pops and some great conversation, I drove her into the city to her hotel.

Yesterday, she dragged my sorry butt off for a cocktail and a quick bite to eat after I worked a 10.5 hour day. Stressed? Yes. But not so much after spending a few minutes (um.... hours?) with a good friend. Now she knows where we go for Therapy Nights. Anyhow, good pal that she is, she saw me off to my train and cabbed it back to her hideout.

Tonight, we're meeting for a brief cocktail out on the patio at this joint. Rumor has it that Mullet Boy and Oddybobo may be joining us there. Then we're piling into my little ride and heading off to Midway airport to pick up my absolute favorite RedNeck on the planet.

Here's where plans are still hazy -- I'm not sure whether Zonker and Oddy are riding with Shoe, 'Neck and I, or if they have other transport. Ah, well! I've fit more people, pets and paraphernalia into less space than you can imagine more than once in the past. Flexibility is my middle name.

After Midway, we're straight off to the Ogmeet.

Thank God. I really needed a vacation, even if it is only about 25 minutes away from home.

See you there?

Drive-Bys

Yep. And stressed, too, thank you. That about sums it up.

(A tip of the cap to geetarz.org for the image.)

Road Conditions

If you're coming in to Chicago from out of town via automobile or motorcycle for BlogHer or the Ogmeet, please keep in mind that you really need to follow the posted speed in road repair zones, even when there's no crew in sight.

The state has vans they move around to shoot radar and take photos of the plates of anyone who speeds there. You will get a ticket in the mail, and the cheapest one runs around $375.

Watch yourself out there, okay?

Drive-Bys

I am 81% Addicted to Coffee

Mingle² - Free Online Dating

Yep.
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Did I mention that I fell in love when I was down in Kerrville, TX? Yes, indeedy I did:



Who could resist all that charm?

(Make your own sketches from your favorite photos here.)
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You Are 54% Open

You are a fairly open person, but you also like to maintain your privacy. You definitely will tell all (okay, almost all) to your closest friends... But strangers and acquaintances only get a peek into your life.

How Open Are You?

You bet.
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Again, right on the money:

Your Political Profile:

Overall: 75% Conservative, 25% Liberal Social Issues: 75% Conservative, 25% Liberal Personal Responsibility: 50% Conservative, 50% Liberal Fiscal Issues: 100% Conservative, 0% Liberal Ethics: 50% Conservative, 50% Liberal Defense and Crime: 100% Conservative, 0% Liberal

How Liberal Or Conservative Are You?

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Bus Fumes

I'm speechless:

While making no apologies for McCormack, archdiocese spokeswoman Colleen Dolan said the perception of McCormack's crimes was worse than the reality. The priest admitted he pulled down the pants and fondled the genitals of five boys, but prosecutors never accused him of sexual assault, or rape.

The archdiocese of Chicago will never, never learn.

Sneed hears rumbles that the Rev. Daniel McCormack, who was sentenced to five years for the sexual abuse of five boys, reportedly vacationed several times with a top religious honcho in the Chicago archdiocese while complaints against him were being probed.

See?

Drive-Bys

I find these critters oddly endearing... although I'll bet they creep this guy out and make this guy grin.

I'm adding them to my birthday/Christmas/oh-what-the-heck-I-just-felt-like-treating-you list.

Bus Fumes

A measely FIVE YEARS??? That should have been for one count, not five!
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I wonder how many other big media outlets are going to ignore this bit of really good news.
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What is wrong with people, anyway? Stuff like this makes me think that some people have no moral compass any more.