CreatureGrl

I have moved my blog

2009-03-20T11:05:00.000-05:00

I have moved my blog to here:

www.RachelMazza.Blogspot.com

The Go-Giver

2009-03-19T10:21:00.002-05:00

I haven't been blogging recently, not because I don't love you, but because I'm thinking of refocusing my blog. Or having multiple blogs. I'm not sure.

Anywhoo, I've just finished re-reading "The Go-Giver" by Bob Burg and John David Mann.
The subtitles reads: "A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea."

The truth is, though, that this book applies to so much more than business. The book is an instructional manual on how to make your life a complete success. And it is written in the most effective teaching style known to man: as a story.

"The Go-Giver" follows a smart and ambitious young man named Joe who is a real go-getter. Joe has reached a point in his life where he feels that the harder and faster he works, the less successful he feels.
When Joe is introduced to a deceptively successful business-man known only as "Pindar", his strategy on living life is turned upside-down. Joe cannot believe the things that Pindar tells him are true, until he puts them into practice, and is catapulted beyond his wildest dreams of what is possible.

There is absolutely no reason why everyone shouldn't read this book. It's a short, easy read with a life changing impact.

"Most people laugh when they hear that the secret to success is giving. Then again, most people are nowhere near as successful as they wish they were."

Depressants for the annoyingly cheerful.

2009-03-12T21:02:00.002-05:00

I have been told that I have a problem with my obnoxiously positive outlook.
Maybe I need this........

Wanderlust: Not all who wander are lost.

2009-03-09T22:02:00.005-05:00

There is a quiet culture in our midst that often goes unnoticed. The members of this subculture often slip through the cracks of everyday focus due to the limited exposure they have on the individuals they meet.

These are the 21st century nomads.

They are the people who often wander alone, sometimes journey in pairs, and occasionally crusade in groups. They are those who spend the last days of their current trip looking for survivable transportation to the next destination.

These people experience an involuntary displacement if they stay in one place too long.
Saying that they have the travel bug is akin to serving white zinfandel at a prestigious French wine conference.

Their wanderlust is not a lifestyle choice. It is embedded within.
Everyone has a bit of it in them --- do we not create more versatile technology every day to help us perform our daily activities on the go? (See Article: Blackberry/PDA)

There's a popular saying among the nomads of our time; "Not all who wander are lost."

I have found this to be true more often than not; a belief that is only reinforced in my encounters with these millennium pilgrims.
In fact, I would argue that the ones who are the most lost are those that have this insatiable itch to voyage, yet do not wander.

These cast-aways are cemented to their current longitude-latitude for various reasons. Perhaps an unpaid debt (read: student loans), or a significant other (please don't take this the wrong way -- you know who you are), or some skewed loyalty to the false pretense of a "secure job with good benefits" -- whatever the case may be, these misplaced travelers fight to establish themselves, yet are bewildered when they become distraught by their current situation.

I believe I am one of these global commuters who are merely -- stuck. I've been very pointedly trying to change this. Working two jobs, spending lightly (minus libation of course), telling my landlord I will not be renewing my lease at the end of the year, budgeting twice the required payment of my student loan -- the vagabond spirit calls.

For example, I've never tried foie gras. There are some exceptional restaurants in Chicago that serve foie gras. In fact, Chicago chefs stood as some of the tallest warriors in the rebellion when foie gras was banned.
The problem is, I don't want to try foie gras in Chicago! I want to try foie gras in France!

Of course, I will always have a home in Chicago. I love Chicago. This is my city. A city smack-dab in the middle of the country, yet there's nothing 'middle' about it. The city that emanates culture, character, beauty and a blatant disregard for the rules.

Maybe I have "grass is greener" syndrome. Someday I'll settle down --- maybe.

Yet still the lonely planet cries for a new companion -- someone to see all its wonders, and secrets, and even its ugly faces. So I continue my exploration for the perfect opportunity that will allow me to gain the financial freedom and the flexibility to join the modern nomads.

"All that is gold does not glitter,
not all those who wander are lost;
the old that is strong does not wither,
deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
a light from the shadows shall spring;
renewed shall be blade that was broken,
the crownless again shall be king."
~J.R.R. Tolkien

Snorks vs. Gelflings

2009-03-04T22:42:00.004-06:00

The strangest things spawn from beer.
Wait -- let me clarify -- the strangest conversations come to life with a few beers.

It all started with a debate on why girls can't burp because their heads are smaller than men's -- who tend to have room for more air. It's all resonance apparently.

This led to the the air flap in the head of the duck-billed dinosaur. You can actually go to the Field Museum (in Chicago) and press a bellow of air through this skull of a duck-billed dinosaur and make this "kkcqhuaaaauuwh" sound that resembles the noise you would make if an elephant sat on you while you had a mouth full of marshmallows -- or a viking war-horn -- I'm not sure which.

Then my friend Jason says that duck-billed dinosaurs remind him of Snorks. This triggered some deep-seeded memory from my childhood that had been repressed into the useless information compartment of my brain. What are Snorks? -- I YouTubed.

Why do we ever forget these characters that filled our after-school hours with such brainless joy. Like Balthasar, the flying dog/lion with no appendages from The Never Ending Story - or T-Bone and Razor from SWAT Kats.

(Don't tell anyone but I was infatuated with Tommy, the green power ranger who died and later came back as the white ranger.)

I honestly think I've watched every episode and mini-movie created of the cartoon series Gargoyles. I vividly remember the vivacious and forward Angela, secretly falling in love with the proud and strong Goliath (who's voice-actor also played Commander Riker in Star Trek: Next Generation -- oh yes, now you know), battling evil and dreading the sunrise of each day.

I suppose it's not the end of the world that one of my "closet nerd" tendencies has emerged into the living world. It happens. You can't be cool forever. Don't even get me started on David Bowie and Jennifer Connely in Labyrinth. Now please excuse me while I go and have a very serious comparative conversation about Jim Henson's The Dark Crystal, and Legend with 16-year-old Tom Cruise and Tim Curry as the devil.

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog

2009-02-27T18:37:00.002-06:00

My friend Ninja Steve recently showed me an online one-time episode of Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog.

I was both mesmerized and extremely amused.

The mini-show was birthed by Buffy the Vampire Slayer's creator Joss Whedon during the recent writers strike.

Whedon explains his strange concoction of comic book and musical:

"More than a year ago — one of those vague ideas that float around in my head — I thought it would be fun to do a sort of podcast musical diary of myself as a supervillain. Then, during the [writers'] strike, everybody said ''Okay, I guess we have to create Internet content, to show that it can be done, sans studio,'' which also involved the desire to do something other than picketing. The Guild, [Felicia Day's] web show, was an inspiration."

The cast is a mish-mosh of Whedon favorites, like Nathan Fillion (Firefly), and virtually unknowns -- such as the opitomy-of-cute-yet-awkward Felicia Day.

If you trust me, I urge you, observe Dr. Horrible:

Windy City Wanderers

2009-02-25T12:08:00.004-06:00

I write this blog with my shoulders slumped and my eyelids drooping too the floor due to my new, fuller schedule -- which doesn't factor in the human need for sleep. My bad.

The good news is, I now have a new day job.
The bad news is, I haven't quite figured out how to balance this new opportunity with my bartending job at night -- not to mention my social life (or lack-there-of).

But enough about the hardships of being young and debtfull (haha).

I shouldn't call my new gig so much a new "day job" as much as a new "venture". I've started a personal assistant businesses where I help entrepreneur's organize their paperwork, contacts, day-to-day activities, calendars, etc...

I've already been doing some work for my Mom's organization, SuccessfulYou, Inc. , and have just started a new position as the executive assistant/personal assistant to the CEO at WCWFC.

Windy City Wanderers is one of Chicago's largest soccer organizations. Run by Matt Rosine from Brighton, England, WCW has grown to dominate the amateur soccer scene in The Windy City.

Those who know me are saying: "What? You? In the sports industry? -- you can't even catch a frickin' frisbee!" I know -- and I'm ignoring you -- I was bored.

Since I'm the first paid employee of WCW, Matt and I have been beating out the exact details of my position. Basically we've concluded that he wants me to run the day-to-day affairs of WCW as well as act as a liason between him and -- well -- everyone else. This will allow him the freedom to pursue other ventures, and also focus on the growth of WCW from behind the scenes.

The job is jam-packed with activity and has an intense work-load -- but at the same time there's opportunity for growth and lots of available side-projects for extra income. My first week has been a combination of learning the inside operations of the organization, and organizing Matt's chaos. :-)

So while this blog entry was a bit more low-key than my usual banter -- and update was in order. Hopefully things will settle into a nice flow of day-job-night-job-sleep-when-you-can and routine will stay far, far away.

Kumquat's on Abortion

2009-02-17T17:21:00.004-06:00

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As a rule, I generally don't follow many blogs besides those of my close friends -- and as many of my close friends don't even blog I have less of a time-conflict. If I read everyone's blog in the world, I wouldn't even have time to take a poo.

One blog that I do follow however is that of Amanda Palmer. Amanda is an independent artist and musician who generally does whatever the hell she wants with a blatant disregard for the rules. Even better -- she does it all with valid and supported reasons. One of her recent songs, Oasis, has come under incredible scrutiny from the FCC and BBC, and many stations refuse to air the song. The song makes light of some very serious subjects including rape and abortion. The tongue-in-cheek lyrics are matched with an upbeat, carnival-type tune -- the piece is fun and humorous. Well, not humorous to some it would seem.

Amanda's argument is that if you don't make light of all the darkness in the world -- then the darkness will win; it will take over. A valid point. Amanda argues that if the song was set to melancholy tune with a sad, lilting piano, the critics might not have had an issue. I love her thorough and very honest argument on the subject. Click here to read the blog.

Anyhoo, at a recent show in London, Amanda decided to attempt this sad, heartfelt version of Oasis. If you have 15 minutes, I recommend the two videos below. The first video is the music video, the original Oasis. The second video is Amanda's performance in London.

Oasis Music Video

Oasis performed in London

Amanda Palmer: "If you cannot sense the irony in this song, you're about two intelligence points above a kumquat"

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Champagn Wishes and Caviar Dreams

2009-02-16T23:59:00.005-06:00

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As I've recently graduated from college, I've realized a few things.
I've made some mistakes.
Obviously -- well it's obvious to me anyway -- not all these mistakes are related to school. Although, since my educational career was the main focus of my last several years -- my decisions in that time tend to stand out.
First, I've realized that I just don't have a desire to pursue a career in Public Relations (my studied major). It's not that I don't find PR fascinating, or have a lack of respect for the industry; it's just that I can't envision myself as a PR Professional. This has nothing to do with the Marketing Department at Columbia I should note. On the contrary, the diverse professors and very wide array of classes are both enjoyable and practical.

Maybe it's my own fear of incompetency that's weeding into my subconscious, shoving feelings of misdirection to the forefront of my attention. Whatever the source of this self-delusion may be, I feel that this choice is a mistake. Whether it's true or not may be irrelevant -- I haven't quite decided.

Instead I feel I should have studied either journalism, or something more concrete -- like medicine. Of course, my desire for the knowledge of a concrete expertise such as medicine or law is purely monetary (and perhaps a plea for the bliss of simplicity). This type of education follows a transparent path to a comfortable living. Observe:

Study Medicine
Intern at Hospital
Apply for Position
Save the world from disease while cashing large checks and dodging lawsuits

If further advancement is desired -- see step 5).......opening your own medicine practice.

My other choice would have been journalism. This has less to do with securing a financially comfortable future, and more to do with my love and fascination of the world of writing. From a very young age, I loved to read. I read everything -- from Sci-fi/Fantasy to Personal Development (whooo! Go Dale Carnegie!) I also see the many doors these skills can open for me. Every industry needs journalists. Travel, Food/Beverage, Law, Politics, Science, etc...

So as I reach this limit of stagnancy in my life, which direction do I take?

Well, to be honest, my dream job of all dream jobs would be to host my own travel show on the Travel Channel. I can't think of anything better than that, short of king-of-the-world, -- or perhaps being the presidential pooch. But as I'm not quite sure how to accomplish that ambitious objective yet, I see myself with several options:

Go back to school
Use the degree I have in Public Relations
Make my own way

Since I'm already $15,000 in debt, option #1 looks a little bleak right now -- and since I'm highly unmotivated to pursue option #2 (and I don't believe in half-ass ambitions), option #3 looks pretty tasty.

The real question is where to start. I know many people that are extremely successful in multi-level-marketing businesses (such as my Mom), and I could always bank on scoring some strange and exotic position with a successful individual. (wow that sounds interesting).

Taking in consideration that I have no idea what I want to do besides travel and be extremely successful in whatever I do -- the world is lookin' mighty big. This is the point where I wistfully sigh and wish I had more blog-followers to offer friendly -- if highly opinionated -- advice.

That decision will have to wait for another day. Champagne is a bad choice for undoing mistakes.

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Date-Rape Tonsillectomy

2009-01-13T12:42:00.005-06:00

Yesterday I was privileged to take part in an age-old ritual that has been the bane of teenage existence everywhere: a Tonsillectomy. While the experience was not one that I care to repeat anytime soon, an experience it was, none-the-less.

I'm more disappointed that I can't use my birthday presents I received last week.

Birthday Booze - Wine, Champagne, Beer, Disaronno, Tequila, Vodka, Kahlua

I have to say in hindsight, the worst part was the waiting. Not so much the reading-magazines-in-the-waiting-room kind of waiting, but the laying on the hospital cart with my bare-butt hospital gown waiting for someone to come stick me with needles kind of waiting.

As I walked into the prep room, a man with no neck nonchalantly told me to take off my clothes so they can give me "relaxing drugs." Thankfully he never looked up from his clipboard, instead flipping absentmindedly through my information with pursed lips. If he had paid more attention to me he would have seen the incredulous look on my face that made an obvious connection with his hospital instructions and several forms of date-rape.

After I changed into the fashionable hospital gown (which i stole) and comfy booties (which I stole) I grabbed a few warm blankets (which i stole) and clenched my teeth to watch the IV needle snake under the skin on the back of my hand like those alien plants in The Ruins.

After more waiting, the anesthesiologist came into yell at me since I wouldn't take out my 6 cartilage earrings, bellybutton piercing, and industrial piercing. She got to me through her gruesome stories of the burns patients received from the sparks the surgery equipment made with patients' jewelry. I finally complied. She was scary, and much larger than me.

Then the time came. The worst part of being wheeled into surgery was that they took my glasses. While this may sound like a mundane request to most, it's slightly terrifying not being able to see the details of the glinting steel contraptions on every wall. Not knowing what the huge green tubes are meant for hanging over you, or where they intend to put them for that matter.

As the anesthesiologist told me the brown liquid she was injecting into my IV tube "might sting a little" I felt a strange connection the the convicted felons on death row. The liquid burned into my veins and, with the unfailing knowledge that my hand was most certainly on fire, I could only think -- "hmmm, this must be what it feels like to be euthanized." I also wondered vaugley why I hadn't fallen asleep yet. That is, until they gave me the oxygen mask.

I didn't know I had fallen asleep until I saw the hostpital lights whooshing past me above my head as they wheeled me into the recovery room. I'll admit, I had no idea where I was. They told me I kept calling for my boyfriend -- I was sure he was there when he was actually painting my Dad's condo. I didn't believe them. Finally someone told me that I was in the hospital and just had my tonsils out. Ahh, now I remember, why didn't someone tell me before.

Haha, and apparrently I was slightly obnoxious because the nurse told the recovery room orderly that I was "very anxious to get [my] glasses". Soon after they gave me some narcotic and more date-rape -- er, I mean "relaxing" drugs, my Mom came in, and like the goddess she is, gave my glasses.

Honestly I felt fine besides a sore throat. I even when to Super H Mart, a local asian market, to buy cold soba noodles for later. (I didn't drive, don't worry). They told me that days 3 - 5 would be the worst. Today is day 2, and I am not enjoying whatever pieces of my throat keep falling down in the back of my mouth to gag me. I'm glad I ate those noodles yesterday because today is definitely apple juice and jello day.

If anything, now I certainly know my name, birth date, and the name of my surgery since the orderlies and nurses ask every time they walk into the room. To be fair, Edwards Hospital was incredible. Everyone was friendly, thourough, and gave me their full attention while they dictated instructions and listened to my questions. That is, everyone except for Mr. Date-Rape Man at the beginning. I won't blame him though, he looked a little slow and apparently needed to concentrate very hard on what he was reading.

I would reccomend Edwards Hospital to anyone in need of surgery (or any procedure for that matter). Oh, and they give you juice and ice cream -- score!

P.S. - My birthday party was fun. 40 stories up in an empty condo playing beer pong and being wind-whipped on the huge balcony.

I don't know where everyone else was -- probably smoking on the balcony

Tightening the new year belt with Wristcutters

2009-01-09T07:29:00.004-06:00

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Well poo poo on me: I seem to have already broken my promise to blog as often as possible. In my defense, I've been running around looking for a doctor to take my tonsils out before my student-supported insurance runs out. A small pitfall of graduation. The date is set for Monday. Go Surgery!! Side effects include: Jello bloating and Ice Cream brain freeze :-D -- Easily take care of.

Well at least the Trekkers wil get it...

Well much has happened since my last post. I worked a gloriously drunken New Years Eve until 2am at P.S. Chicago on Rush St. The food was great and no one got jacked in the face until AFTER we closed. A new record if not still a slight faux pas for the bar. Then I headed over to FUNK Groove Lounge on Division for the unofficial 'cops and industry only afterparty' starting at 4am. The crowd was great -- if not already intoxicated -- still just starting to trickle in at 6am while the 4 o'clockers ended their shifts at the surrounding bars. Unfortunately, I was with someone who is used to getting UP at 4am to go to work so I sacrificed my illegal irresponsibility for his sanity and went home a little after 6. Although, I heard the party roared on for many hours into the wee afternoon.

Drunk as a:

Then, surprise! New Years Day I get a call from P.S. Chicago informing me that the bar will be closing for remodeling until further notice! Yay free weekends! Oh...wait -- I forgot about that teensy detail called --- RENT! The timing is both irritatingly convenient and harsh at the same time. It's convenient because I've just graduated and have been dying a little each night that I go to work due to the monotony of it all. Yet at the same time this is very INCONVENIENT due to my scheduled surgery and recently taking off so many days for the Christmas travels.

So while I hate to be the Sheriff Nottingham of the new year, I've set out to collect some of the debts I've been oh-so-meekly avoiding. Hopefully my heartless tightening of others' belts will render a hefty help to my financial needs this month.

On a different wavelength having nothing to do with new years or money, I've just finished the movie Wristcutters: a comedic love story. Setting: The special limbo you go to when you commit suicide. The cast is great -- slightly obscure but easily recognizable -- with a few exceptions including the hilarious Will Arnet and an aging-yet-still-infamously-incredible Tom Waits. I love the soundtrack as well, featuring Gogol Bordello and, of course, Tom Waits.

"Everyone knows the guy in the back doesn't have cock"

Highly reccomended, even for those who watch only the most mainstream movies.

2008-12-30T14:21:00.005-06:00

Like many other pseudo-dedicated yet well meaning individuals, I have set a half-hearted new years resolution to get in shape.
Like "Get in Shape, Girl".

I'm not sure why the new year is the most socially accepted time to drastically change something about yourself or your life. It's not as if you're entire being -- the particles that swirl and dance within you -- are any different after midnight on the last day of the year. In fact, for most of the people I know, the new year is a terrible time to change!

You're piss poor due to Christmas shopping and time taken off of work for the holidays.
It's freezing outside -- not to mention probably full of slushy precipitation, which is not the most advantageous conditions for starting your fab fit life.
You probably feel terrible because you've nearly eaten yourself to death in the gluttonous tradition of the holiday season.

Logically, it would appear that you should allow yourself ample time to adjust from the crazed frenzy of the holidays before making any life-altering changes in your daily grind.
Yet, we raise our hands and holler to the almighty that this year will be the one. The year to break that bad habit, to build your business to the next level, to finally clean out the attic, and -- yes, to get in shape.

A census by USA.gov reveals that the top new years resolutions are:

Lose Weight
Manage Debt
Save Money
Get a Better Job
Get Fit
Eat Right
Get a Better Job
Drink Less Alcohol
Quit Smoking
Reduce Stress
Take a Trip
Help Others

Sound familiar?

So why did we pick such an in-opportune time to create change?
Actually, the new year didn't always start on January 1. In fact, the ancient Babylonians began the new year tradition almost 4000 years ago at the time of the New Moon after the Vernal Equinox -- The first day of spring.
Early spring is a logical time to start the new year. A season of rebirth, of planting and harvest, of creation. January 1 is purely arbitrary.

So who screwed it up for the rest of us? I think it's safe to say it was the Romans, who continued to celebrate the new year -- but in late March. The Roman calendar was constantly being altered by various emperors and the calendar soon lost it's synchronization with the sun. To remedy this fault the Romans declared January 1 to be the new year, so that they could keep track of the seasons.

So as you begin your brisk morning run with the slush soaking into your socks this January 1 -- you can curse Cesar and his cronies for their meddling. To all a good night, and a Happy New Year.

Batteries Not Included

2008-12-25T15:21:00.006-06:00

.
You know you've reached the end of childhood when you receive household appliances for Christmas

Oh fine -- I'm being a bit melodramatic. I asked for household appliances actually! A great toaster oven / coffee maker / grinder / can opener that mounts underneath the kitchen cabinets!! Whooo!! Anyone need any of my old ones?

My Beautiful Christmas Family

Christmas has come and gone for another year, I have to say this is probably the most anti-climactic Christmas I've ever had. I opened some great gift cards and an $200 Ikea shopping spree for my new apartment -- all amazing -- but when i was done opening gifts I realized I had nothing to play with. Nothing to rip open furiously -- paper flying everywhere -- to spend the next 3 hours configuring my new toy while my Mom herds together chunks of discarded wrapping paper.

Is this how you become an adult? By gauging your Christmas spirit in terms of gift-joy? Who knows, I certainly don't plan to grow up anytime soon. In fact, I'm very skillfully ignoring the inclination that I should be searching for a J-O-B to put my recently acquired Public Relations degree to work.
Pish Posh -- that's for grown-ups.

Batteries Not Included

I've also found that there's this strange limbo-land at the end of college where you're unofficially not required to buy gifts apart from your immediate family. And even they might forgive you if you plead poverty.
Your best friend for nearly a decade? -- school loans are creeping up.
Your roomate? -- rent is due next week.

Ahh yes, it's strange -- but this series of one or two years at the end of your education somehow make you infamously exempt from buying each-and-every-single-person-you-know a gift. Oh sweet days of Ramen Noodles and pizza, how i love thee.

So while I may not rip open an Evil Kenievel Super Stunt Bike, it is a Merry Christmas -- or a Happy Christmas for you British chaps.
So I bid thee adieu -- I'm going to play with my toaster oven. Batteries not included.

Chicago's Monumental Monday

2008-12-23T15:37:00.003-06:00

This past Monday was a historic day for Chicago in 2008. What, you may ask, is the infamous news? A new tax law? Another CTA fare hike? We've already birthed the next president of the United States. What more could you ask for?

Chicago has hit a new earmark it most likely wished to miss: With just shy of two weeks to go in the year, the city clocks it's 500th homicide in 2008.

The yet unidentified victim was slain Monday night; her death aiding the city in scoring the most homicides since 2003. Surprisingly this is still historically low compared to the last four decades in Chi-town history.

Why are there so many murders in what, I think, is one of the greatest cities in the country? Perhaps it has something to do with the country itself? If you tripled the population of Japan and how many murders it has, the United States would beat it by 10,000 murders.

Our culture idolizes men who gained power through the use of armed combat with firearms. Just look at Scarface or The Sopranos. Cowboys and ethnic gangsters are the heroes of our most popular stories. Our celebrities like 50cent or the characters from the Godfather solve problems and assert power with firearms. On the other hand, European and Asian cultures shun violence. They even edit episodes of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles before their children view it so as not to promote violence.

In Chicago, the gang culture is glamorized by celebrities as well. The battle between People and Folks becomes a game played with drugs, money and your life. If you aren't willing to sacrifice your life for the gang wars then you're not good enough to play with either faction. In fact, it's almost impossible to walk down the street and NOT notice one-sided tattoos, flipped hats, or pulled clothing denoting your allegiance. Left for People, Right for Folks. This prison identification has moved to the streets of Chicago and created a warzone where all neutral parties are caught in between.

Sexy, yes -- Peaceful, no

If you're not from Chicago and want to know about the gang culture, this site is short and concise.

http://www.ci.madison.wi.us/police/pf.html

Perhaps the problem is that there isn't enough outrage from the people. For most Chicago residents, murder is about "them", not "us". In 2002 less than 7% of Chicago murder victims were white, and 65% of victims had previously been arrested by police. Also, most murders take place is Chicago's poorest neighborhoods. The Hundred Blocks, Bush, South Shore, Englewood -- there's some places you just don't go unless you're from that hood.

Put short, the murder rate here isn't the outrage it should be.

One reason is that, for many Chicagoans, murder is about "them," not "us": Fewer than 7 percent of last year's homicide victims were white. And 65 percent of the victims previously had been arrested by Chicago police (although most often for nonviolent offenses). As the map at right suggests, the disparity is geographic as well, with most murders taking place in Chicago's poorest neighborhoods.

We Start and End with Family

2008-12-21T22:24:00.004-06:00

Today was the Family Christmas Party. It was big.
I have a large, Italian family that knows how to EAT!

There's presents and a white-elephant grab bag where everyone brings a neglected/useless piece of functional crap that is wrapped in pretty bows and exchanged in a fit of laughter.
Thankfully, the traditional childrens' musical performance has recently been retired.

Besides the music and family hugs there is, of course, food. Lots of food.
Cheesy artichoke dip, buffalo cracker spread, pizza bread, Italian wedding soup, pasta pasta pasta -
and my personal favorite....Tripe (for those non-Italian heathens it's cow or sheep stomach in a tasty tasty hot broth)

It's not long after we arrive until everyone's belt buttons are bursting at the seams.

My family is from a small town on the east coast of the United States and, honestly, not much changes from year-to-year. The biggest changes are those in the lives of the younger cousins. Moving out, going to college and acquiring new boyfriends is the usual news. -- (I say boyfriends because my family is overwhelmingly female) --

Then there's always the one family member, the black sheep, usually an outlaw (read: in law not widely assimilated into the main body). They tend to put their nose into the business of those who would rather hear from anyone else, and bitch and moan until Christmas traditions are completely rearranged to their unacceptable fancy.

Although, while this material makes up most of the more interesting banter of the evening, it is soon forgotten in the loving goodbyes and sincere well wishes of those heading home.
Whether you're close to your family or not, they make up a part of you that can never be changed. You're born with your family, you bury your family, and they'll be there to bury you. While I now live farther away from my roots, I always return home for holidays and various momentous occasions.
Because I love my family and honestly believe that they are one of the best families I could ever have. In fact, I have never seen another family as great as mine. Not to knock anyone else's family of course, I'm sure they're great in their weird and quarky ways.

But as my Mom always says: "I love to visit, but I'm glad I live in OUR house with OUR problems and OUR own weird ways!"

Review Session -- JustThrive

2008-12-06T15:57:00.005-06:00

I've recently discovered this website www.JustThrive.com and have been using to...well...run my life.

Thrive brings all your credit card, checking, savings, retirement, and investment accounts into one place so you can easily see what you have, what you owe, and where you can grow. The site helps you get organized, gives you advice and tells you how to maximize your savings, investments etc.

There's also fun (and practical) "financial health" ratings and assessments.

For example: "You can survive 1 day without a job!"
or
"You can buy a home worth $62,480"

Thrive also keeps track of all your spending and reminds you to pay your bills. By analyzing and sorting your purchases you can see where you spend the most -- the site also advises you where to cut down to increase your spending:saving ration.

For example: Last month I spent exactly $234.54 on food -- then it breaks it down into grocerys, restaurants, fast food ect.

Now common sense would say: "Why the HELL would you plug your bank accounts and credit cards into some random website?!?!?!?!"

I DID check out the site with Chase bank first. They're also endorsed by VeriSign Secured, TrustE Privacy, and SmartMoney.

Anywhoo, give it a try. I'd LOVE to hear what you think!