Parents...
Have I mentioned that my dad and clark were friends as "white house fellows", and apparently (though I have no memory of this) he was a guest at my dad's house during the mid-'80's? Apparently I liked him.
this came to light because my dad is telling us to support clark in every way possible so that we can rely on family connections to get the political careers he's always dreamed of for us...I mean that we've always dreamed of...and of course through merit not nepotism because we're so smart and have such great ideas...whoops.

I'm being unfair. Their political views line up pretty exactly, and it is no surprise that he would be a strong supporter. I'm completely overreacting in a very predictable way.

Sigh.

On another note, last night when the cubs clinched I had the distinct feeling that I was back in France after the World Cup. I've never heard so many horns...it was kind of amazing. I also thought dave and I might get attacked as we wandered down the street proclaimining (through t-shirts and hats) our allegiances to other teams. Thank god we support american league teams...

and on that note, congrats to the Tigers for not being the worst ever! and to all the teams that made the playoffs. Not quite sure how I'll get through class this week when Red Sox playoff games beckon from TV.
- posted by Heidi @ 6:17 PM

 
In about two hours, my neighborhood will go nuts.
The Cubs are up 6-0 in the bottom of the 4th.

So, WOW.

that's all I have to say, but I wanted to share it with the world.

- posted by Heidi @ 5:07 PM

 
Early Saturday morning
Signs that other people in the world don't find 7am on a Saturday too early:

1) heavy traffic approaching downtown
2) heavy traffic at the belmont exit
3) long line outside Wrigley
4) construction workers hard at work at the house behind my apartment building.
5) the laundry machines were already full when I brought mine down at 8.

oi.

- posted by Heidi @ 9:01 AM

 
Gwynneth sightings and other Friday happenings
Driving to work yesterday was slightly more exciting than usual: streets were closed off for the film crews (of Proof, which is filming, duh, on and around the U of C campus), and there was Gwynneth Paltrow in front of a camera.
Cool. and then sorta surreal.

Didn't see any of the others, and felt slightly star-fucker-ish so didn't stare for too long. Really. I promise.

Then I chatted up first years, and dodged rain drops.

Had the usual passive aggressive conversations with Herself.

Here's a conundrum: what would inspire someone to use other people as pawns in a petty passive-aggressive power struggle? It sucks for those in the middle, cause they don't have a damn clue what's going on. I think I'm the only person who actually heard and saw enough (and is cynical enough) to understand what's going on.

sigh.

- posted by Heidi @ 7:03 AM

 
I've been saying this forever
CBC Sports Online - The Instigator

- posted by Heidi @ 4:45 PM

 
More Sadness descends
Singer Robert Palmer dies at 54

also George Plimpton and Edward Said.

I know people die every day, but does anyone else feel like notable writers and musicians are dropping like flies?

I've been listening to "addicted to love" all morning.

- posted by Heidi @ 10:46 AM

 
I still need a new title
The ever helpful Jon suggested "Time to Bitch", but that won't win.

I just had a really AWESOME strategy class, which was followed by finding a long-overdue reimbursement for work expenses (totalling several hundred dollars) in my mail at home, which was followed by yes RSVPs to this party in two weeks by old friends. All in all, it's been a good day since 6pm.

Prior to 6pm...well, that wasn't so great. But do you know how hard it is to hate someone who can have moments of being extremely nice? Like today when one person in particular drove me UP THE WALL with some statements and then was above and beyond the call nice right before I seethed out to my car?

Okay, hmm, maybe I should rename my blog as per Jon's suggestion.

And, in a final note: THE RED SOX ARE GOING TO THE PLAYOFFS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This will be an obsession for at least another week. YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HAPPY!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!
- posted by Heidi @ 10:00 PM

 
I need a new title for my blog
If you have any suggestions, let me know.

I am currently (still) reading Umberto Eco's new book, Baudolino. I started it when I was in Maine, put it down to read the new Tom Clancy, started it again, put it down to read 5 trashy mystery novels, started it again. And I've only looked at it once or twice in the last couple weeks. My problems are as follows:
1) The cover makes it look like the title is ECO with the subtitle Baudolino. This should be a small detail, but the bad design of the cover deters me
2) have you ever slogged through an Eco novel? Man it just keeps going....
I think I forgot that about what it was like to read The Name of the Rose since that was so long ago.

I think in a couple months when I'm long done with the book (I hope) I'll remember it fondly for the fascinating storyline and approach and forget all the slogging.

Last night I watched West Wing and Law and Order while/after/before working on my paper for today. (I've whined about that enough, right? yeah, I thought so). How much do I love those shows? They'd better find Zoe. Actually, I think I remember reading a spoiler that said they did find her, so hey. But maybe I didn't. AHHH! The suspense is killing me! And how good is John Goodman? It's kinda great.

1st year events today! yay! whoo hoo!

I sort of agree with Jon in his hope that not too many current students show up to trade stories and show how cool they are...Course, I was totally guilty of that as an undergrad...

I listened to a documentary on NPR yesterday called "Dreaming in Farsi". It was about Shirley Jihad's trip back to Iran after her family had been gone for 40 years. It was really beautiful. and it made me miss Nima a lot.
- posted by Heidi @ 8:04 AM

 
happy boss back at work day
well, that was yesterday. but hey.

It's a whole different place now.

Spent 30 minutes on the phone with quickbooks tech support. Boy that was fun. Yeah.

We're discussing mortality now across the offices. By we I mean they. It's really fun as well. Yeah.

I didn't get the classes I wanted. I'm going to try again in the next add of drop-add-swap, which starts today. But I'm pretty sure I'll be stuck with what I have now--two strategy classes, one monday, one thursday. Monday classes are terrible for work reasons, Thursday's aren't so great either for social & TV reasons, but hey.

I'm just irritated and irritable. Funny how that went away at the end of the summer but now is back.

Also, I have $9.17 in my bank account. I get paid on the 30th, which is luckily a week from yesterday. But I have to pay tuition soon, which is more than the amount of my paycheck. A lot more. hmmmm. This could be interesting.

- posted by Heidi @ 11:06 AM

 
I forgot to mention that tomorrow I will have a boss for the first time since August 10th.
- posted by Heidi @ 9:44 PM

 
Mozart for the soul
I've been grouchy since around 6, when I left work. I'm not sure why I wasn't grumpy at work since I'm mostly grumpy about work, but hey.
Because I don't want to spread this to others, I've ignored several phone calls, failed to make some return phone calls (oops), and generally been funk-tastic.
So I decided it was time for some really loud, really dramatic, really brilliant, really depressing music.
I refer, of course, to Mozart's "Requiem in D minor", recently purchased from the Apple ITunes Music Store (which incidently is the cure to illegal file sharing).

Yeah, so when you're feeling down there's nothing like a big ole does of the Dies Ire. If you aren't familiar and don't want to buy the album(though you should!), then at least watch Amadeus for an amazing section.

Yes, I'm prostelytizing. But do I do that all that often? Wait, don't answer that.

But seriously, my funk is seriously reduced. I'm even up to doing some of my homework without whining too much internally about the injustice of having a paper due for the first day of class.

(I thought that was subtle, did you?)

My Amazon recomendations include a mishmash of plays, business tomes, pop fiction, best sellers, and others. For example, the same page that recommends Co-Opetition also includes Dead until Dark and The Full Monty.

I guess Amazon thinks I like strategy, vampires, and strippers?

This does not speak all that highly of my past purchases. hmmmm.... Those were just my book recommendations, I can't imagine what it thinks I listen to or watch or wear or... agh!

My #1 apparel recommendation is "An Anna Kournikova and Amazon.com Apparel Exclusive"...don't ask. and don't expect me to buy it.

I should be writing the paper for class, or at least reading the case, so I'll stop blabbering now.

but seriously: Mozart for the soul. Especially the Requiem. It's just mind blowingly out of this world.

I could depressed by thinking about hold I am now and how old he was when he wrote this, but I won't.
- posted by Heidi @ 9:10 PM

 
I went to DSW shoe warehouse yesterday and had several upsetting revelations as I tried to replace the Steve Madded loafers I've had for 4 years and worn nearly daily during the fall and spring (as you can imagine, they are slightly the worse for wear).
1) my feet are now so deformed by tendinitis that I can't fit into cute evening shoes
2) ditto cute regular shoes
3) shoes that fit without making me scream in pain are expensive
4) also ugly

Grrr. 3 years ago I could buy a Steve Madden size 8 shoe or a Kenneth Cole 7.5 without needing to try them on. I tried on 15 pairs of those brands (and others) in sizes ranging from 7 to 9 and it just wasn't going to happen.

So I have 2 pairs of Skechers. Both inoffensive looking and very comfortable, but not particlularly attractive. I considered going back to the store some other day when I hadn't walked at all and trying shoes on then, but quickly realized that all I'd do is buy shoes that really didn't fit well enough.

Jon posted a link to Wes from Boy Meets Boy's blog. Being me, I checked it out and found it, well...slightly hilarious.

Yesterday Chloe and I sat at a table talking to parents who had just dropped their kids off for the first day of college. Only a couple seemed really interested in theater, but I gave out about 25 season pass order forms. Not the 300 I was hoping for, but better (I hope) than the 4 or 5 we usually get. I also met the guy who ordered on for this year in april, presumably as soon as the student decided to come here. He was introduced as "Uncle Paul" and my gaydar went beep beep beep beep beep out of control. But it was really sweet because there were about 5 adults shepherding this student--who I haven't met and don't know the name of--to school. Also one mother who zeroed in on the paid opportunities, saying her son wouldn't have time for non-paying theater work. He came by too, and immediately asked about auditions. hmmmm.... All in all it was probably worth being at work at 8 on a saturday. probably.

Interestingly we got many more questions about Henry V than Cabaret.

I slept until 11 today, which made me very happy. Course, I didn't fall asleep until around 3, despite trying to go to bed at 9. Oh well.

Tomorrow is the real start. The new kids are here, the old ones are coming back...another new year. Sigh.
- posted by Heidi @ 11:30 AM

 
Thank you Emily Post...
I'm occaisionally amused by what people think will be helpful.

The following link was included in a recent edition of the GSB's career development office's bi-weekly email. It's in case you find yourself invited to a party and unsure of what to do with your food... dining etiquetter from a silver company

It's a helpful thought, but it reads...well...I always find etiquette instructions amusing.
- posted by Heidi @ 6:47 PM

 
Squealing piglets??
800 Baby Pigs shut down Oklahoma highway
- posted by Heidi @ 2:24 PM

 
Talk show hosts on the president
Courtesy of Danmail, from my friend Dan:


"Finally, a candidate who can explain the Bush administration's positions on
civil liberties in the original German."
-- Bill Maher, on Schwarzenegger running for Governor.

"President Bush is supporting Arnold but a lot of Republicans are not,
because he is actually quite liberal. Karl Rove said if his father wasn't
Nazi, he wouldn't have any credibility with conservatives at all."
--Bill Maher

"Here's how bad California looks to the rest of the country. People in
Florida are laughing at us."
--Jay Leno

"Well, we're all excited because President Bush has started his 35-day
vacation. He's down there in Crawford, Texas and on the first day of his
vacation he went fishing. He didn't find any fish but he believes they're
there and that his intelligence is accurate."
--David Letterman

"The United States is putting together a Constitution now for Iraq. Why
don't we just give them ours? It's served us well for 200 years, and we
don't appear to be using it anymore, so what the hell?"
-- Jay Leno

"President Bush held his first full press conference in over five months
this week. He announced that the war on terrorism is continuing, much,
much more work needs to be done on the economy, and Saddam Hussein has
not yet been captured. And then he said, "I'm going on vacation for a
month."
--Jay Leno

"President Bush is leaving to go to Crawford, Texas, for a 35-day working
vacation. This will give hem a chance to unwind. My question is, when
does the guy wind?"
--David Letterman

"President Bush's economic team is now on their 'jobs and growth' bus tour
all across America. I think the only job they created so far is for the guy
driving the bus."
--Jay Leno

"President Bush has refused to declassify portions of the congressional
9/11 reports about the Saudis, because he says it will help the enemy.
Not Al Qaeda, the Democrats."
--Jay Leno

- posted by Heidi @ 2:05 PM

 
Free again
I spent a perfectly lovely afternoon wandering around Chicago with my sister. The best part was visiting my friend elizabeth who works in the makeup dept. at marshall fields. we got makeovers and had fun playing. I managed to restrain myself, my sister bought LOTS of products.
then we came to my apartment. i had assumed (silly me) that I would get time there BEFORE they came over. Not so much. So some things weren't well hidden (or hidden at all) and there was a prevailing sense of clutter. Ah well. Both my sister and her husband were amazed at how big my apartment was, and my sister and I ended up smoking cigarettes together in my sun room. Which was surreall. Trust me.
Then they took me and my boyf. out for mucho fancy dinner at Ambria. It was, of course, excellent. and we all had fun. Less stressful then usual, though there were some tense moments. And, of course, it would be the time that we got the less-then-amazing waitress.Which continued a trend--other than elizabeth, we endured mediocre help all day. and we only went to fancy places. At one couture shop where I don't think you could find anything for less than $1,000 we were treated like shoplifters even after my sister made a request. And then--despite being open later "by appointment" if requested, they kicked us out for closing--quite rudely. This was after a really pushy saleswoman at coach effectively talked us out of buying anything (the security guard, on the other hand, was very helpful) and we had a rude cabbie. It was kind of amazing how everywhere we went the salespeople were clearly the "b-list" staff.
Ah well. Its the type of thing I never really care about but my sister obsesses over. Sigh.
off to work.
- posted by Heidi @ 7:57 AM

 
The House of Reps sent people home for a long weekend, MLB rearranged scheduled games on the east coast, people are evacuating by the thousands...weather forecasters have a lot of power. I'm impressed. Speaking of baseball, the wild card standings show all the teams in the league and how close they are in the race. Is this necessary? The poor Detroit Tigers are 50 games out! They've only won 38 games all season. I think we know they won't make the playoffs...

I picked my sister up from the airport last night after she was delayed in Boston. She has some new mysterious back ailment, so every five minutes she gasped in pain. Other than that, we had a lovely time. We joined her husband for dinner at Topolobampo which was amazing. They have one dish with Huitlacoche mushrooms, which only grow on corn. Because the mushrooms are so rare, a professor at the U of I grows them -- injecting each stalk of corn -- for the restaurant. Which I think is pretty darn cool. As is the idea of a 4-star Mexican restaurant.

They're coming over to my apartment today for drinks before dinner, which means I've been obsessively cleaning. and am still worried. and need to buy something for them to drink, but hey...

It seems like all the U of C folks I know are posting about worry that the entering 1st years will read their blogs. I'm pretty sure they won't find mine, but in case they do: hi. I'm really cool. I'm on staff but I'm younger than 50. You should be nice to people on staff, they work as hard as the profs for much less glory and pay. Thank you.

Isn't it amazing that I incorporate so much enthusiasm and bittnerness into one choppy paragraph?

The NYTimes thinks we are in a postliterate world. Awesome. Now instead of accusing Jon of being postmodern (which he is) I can tell him he's postliterate. Also it adds new depth to the "God, she's just so ... post..." comments one occaisionally hears. But seriously, the New Yorker festival sounds cool, so I'll stop being snide. maybe.
- posted by Heidi @ 7:42 AM

 
Breaking News!
Breaking News alert: the man who was a white house fellow and Rhodes scholar with my father has, according to CNN.com decided to enter the presidential race. That's right: we have a General with nice liberal opinions running for president!!!
- posted by Heidi @ 9:48 AM

 
Innocently waiting for the peapod delivery man...
Showtunes last night was predictably excellent. It was good to have Owen and Ann join the usual crowd. I was also incredibly amused when Brooke (not how he spells it, but I can never get it right) "introduced" me to Elizabeth. She laughed and said "oh we go way back". Damn straight. I've only known her for 6 years, but I would argue that in those 6 years we've covered A LOT of territory.
Unfortunately Bill wasn't there so we had to pay for the birthday shots for Eric, who claims he might be leaving the world of corporate sell-outs soon. and working for a university... Ah, we all come home in the end.

I ran into Sarah W last night as she was leaving the Cubs game. Which isn't notable since we are essentially neighbors. But is notable since she saw me going to the Cubs game on Saturday and because last night she realized she had my house keys. yes, it's true. She cat sat almost a year ago and she still had my keys. I had totally forgotten.

I still haven't cleaned my apartment for my sister's critical eye. I think I need to wait until about 2 hours before I pick her up for maximum cleanliness retention. I'm way too messy to be an adult.

I can't believe the kids come back so soon. Yes, it's way later than every other University on the planet, but it's always too damn soon. I'm excited for a new group, and I do love most aspects of my job, but god I have to learn a lot of names...and then half of them won't come back in the winter.

Yesterday I walked past a family with an unruly adolescent. Actually, I have no idea if she was really unruly, but clearly she thought her parents had been put on this earth for the sole purpose of humiliating her. And she let that be known.

I am so glad I never have to be 13 again. Or 14-17. How does anyone who knew me between 1992 and 1996 even think of talking to me now? You all should have run away long ago!

I need a haircut. For the first time since I was about 8 my hair reaches the small of my back when I lean back. which means I can reach and touch it from below without stretching either my arm or my head. Which is weird.
I think you can tell where people know me from by the haircut they think I should have:
Winsor (7th-9th): Curly! shoulder length very Curly! almost fro-like
Hkiss: a succession of bad short cuts. Always less than shoulder-length
1st year UC: what one "friend" has described as "Heidi's mullet year!" Red highlights.
2-4th: growing out years of bad haircuts. Constantly in that in-between phase. Oh, and Bright Red. Sometimes Orange or Purple. Never plain ole' brown.
post-college: pony-tail. Except when it's piled on top of my head in a messy bun. Funny since I spent all of my athletic career avoiding putting my hair up because I thought I looked awful with a pony tail...

OKay, even if you aren't a Red Sox fan, you HAVE to watch the video of Kevin Millar linked on the Globe Red Sox page . It's funny even if you don't know him as a baseball player. I promise.

There are not one but twoBurlesque Benefits this week! Or so Gapers Block tells me.

Do you ever get the feeling that some people don't understand art?

The Pentagon can't even get playing Taps on a bugle easily.


Enough. The peapod man isn't here (he still has 40 minutes in his time slot), but I'm out of things to say.
- posted by Heidi @ 8:19 AM

 
I'm so glad to be in Chicago
The midwest might have a lot going against it, but we don't get all that extreme weather. No earthquakes, no hurricaines... sure, it gets cold in the winter, but that's what coats and sweaters are for.

Speaking of coats, my mother bought me a new one. It's 100% polyester. It's even machine washable. However, it looks like it is suede with fur lining and trim. On the one hand this is kind of amazing, on the other...how many people are going to attack me for wearing so much suede and fur? How many times will I have to proove that it is in fact totally synthetic? I mean, it's amazing: it feels like leather. If I hadn't been in the store when she bought it and seen the price tag (and you DON'T get leather and/or fur for under $100) I wouldn't believe it.

Have you noticed that I don't like making things easy?

My sister and her husband come on Thursday. I need to clean. they aren't staying with me, but still...Also, I'm making reservations at one of the most expensive restaurants in Chicago. It's about the only place I can think of that absolutely won't make her feel that we're inferior to NY.

Chip on my shoulder much?

It's SO GOOD to be home. Can I say that often enough?

A symptom of how boring work would have been if I hadn't taken vacation? I was totally caught up from the past two weeks off by noon today.

This is a lame post. Sorry.
- posted by Heidi @ 7:47 PM

 
Hee
Queer Eye Drinking game
- posted by Heidi @ 1:08 PM

 
I'm in a linking mood...
ohh, Madonna had a friendless childhood. How terrible for her.

I hope their wine is good, because now I'm going to drink it for environmental reasons

I've spent 6 years being pissed off about stories like this one about Burma. It just never changes. The SPDC is so much worse than any other government of any country we've invaded for "humanitarian" reasons...

Last weeks Wait Wait Don't Tell Me (the best radio program ever) featured Queer Eye's Ted Allen. It's hysterical.

This could be the year!

Disney and Dali????

I love Dave Barry
- posted by Heidi @ 10:13 AM

 
Hee!
arts journal is a great resource.
And today (actually yesterday's issue, but I just read it) it tells me that a Monty Python musical tentatively titled "Spamalot" is on its way.

Hee.
- posted by Heidi @ 10:17 AM

 
I'm HOME!
weather.com has decided to display my weather in Celsius. I don't know what 22 degrees C feels like without converting it. That is, I know 30 degrees is HOT and 0 degrees is freezing.

Okay. I'm dumb. I found the "English units/metric units" option. But it was hiding. And 22 C is 71 F, in case you were wondering.

My cat has clearly missed me. She has not let me be more than 3 feet away from her since I got back. When I went downstairs to pick up my (piles and piles of) mail, she started howling. It's kind of cute but also a wee bit excessive. Especially since Jon spent 4 hours with her the other day. Well, 4 hours with my six feet under DVDs but I'm sure he didn't ignore her. She's too pretty. And whiny.

Details of my trip that I should cover...hmmm....my newborn step-niece is incredibly adorable....my mother is very funny and at least as neurotic as I am, though much less bitchy...Ireland has changed so much with entry into the EU and seeing it is different from reading it...Gypsy was un-fucking-believably good...all the supporting actors as well as Bernadette...reason # 9,506 why I can't ever live in NY is that I became incredibly obsessive about my appearance and wore lots of makeup and all black and spoke pretentiously until I realized what I was doing...my aunt locked herself out of her apartments in the dakota, and waited in the hallway while I was sent me downstairs to get the spare key. I'd never met the doorman, but he believed me when I explained what had happened and gave me her spare key...maybe we all just look alike...I managed to walk from my aunts building to the metropolitan museum of art (across the park and then about 10 blocks north) without getting lost in the park and without asking directions or looking at a map. You should all be proud...my mother has a personal assistant (thank god)...party planning is fun. I got to talk to my mom's favorite caterers and liquor vendors. I also witnessed her have a long conversation with the caterer about the last party she'd had at our house (in June) and he flawlessly remembered where we'd put tables and what kind of wine had been served. I've learned that renting china, flatware, and glassware is always easier even if you have enough...is it way too cutesy that he recommends heart-shaped shortbread cookies partially dipped in chocolate with desert?...I was able to go through the relics of my childhood and designate a lot of stuff for goodwill without being asked, feeling sad, or crying...there's no place like home, and mine is in Chicago.

Get all that? Good. See, now it's almost like you were there with me!

I haven't unpacked yet. The red sox game was on last night (they were playing Chicago); I fell asleep in the 3rd inning and woke up again abruptly at 8:30 (around the 6th inning) because the phone was ringing. And then I was on the phone. (I wasn't sympathetic enough to someone who had a rough day. I'm really sorry, I was half-asleep when we talked). Somehow after that I managed to watch TV and goof off until 1.

I'm probably going to the Cubs game today with someone totally random who asked out of the blue. It's very odd, but hey: free ticket!

miss me?
- posted by Heidi @ 9:18 AM

 
Very Sad
I woke up at the crack of dawn for no good reason (except that I'm GOING HOME TODAY!!!!!) and was all prepared to write a lovely blog about Ireland, US Customs, NY, Gypsy, flying on 9/11/03, and so much more.

but when I signed on I got breaking news from CNN... Johnny Cash died.

So now I am very sad.

It's been picked up by ABC and CBS and the Hollywood Reporter now. Some have even posted their obits (written years ago I'm sure. Does that policy bother anyone? I mean, I know it's so they can get to them quickly when someone actually dies, but still).

anyway, this is the AP wire obit from Hollywood Reporter

I'm going to listen to lots of Johnny Cash now.

In other sad entertainment news, John Ritter died unexpectedly .

- posted by Heidi @ 5:30 AM

 
Lapsing is hard...
...especially if it's not by choice.

So excuse me if I'm a little grouchy.

That and I had a whole lot of messages at work (where I won't be until Monday). Including some that really needed to be dealt with, but I forgot to change my voicemail to reflect that I was out of the country. OOPS.

Just saw "Magdelene Sisters" with my mom. It was particularly interesting to see after having just been in Ireland. Staying with people who have lots to say about the cruelty of the nuns when they were in school... These are devout Catholics who are quick to condemn you for lots of sins, but who were deeply hurt by the nuns. Much like some of the characters in the movie. It was good, but didn't deviate too much from the standard prison/orphanage/institution movie formula.

Ireland has changed a lot in the last five years. Which I knew abstractly--last time I was there they were beginning to show prices in Euro's as well as punts, but the euro didn't actually exist off of a computer screen yet.

Going through customs has always seemed like something of a joke to me. On the way into Ireland I presented the passport I'd had for less than 2 hours, had it stamped, went on. On the way back, we cleared through immigration in Ireland, submitting the forms with what we had to declare. Not that anyone checked. Then in the US we walked through the "nothing to declare" line with our bags. I tried to give my passport to someone (it cost nearly $300, I want to use the damn thing) but he didn't want it. Now, we were totally honest about what we were and were not bringing into the country. But how do they know that? I mean, we hear a lot about guns being found in teddy bears... I know I don't "look" or "act" like a terrorist, but isn't that supposed to be irrelevant?

Trust me, I'm not whining that I didn't get hassled enough, but I'm not fully convinced that thousands of people don't wander through with illegal items every day. I could have had ANYthing in my checked bag and no one would know. So am I supposed to assume that all 300 people on the plane were as painfully honest as my mother and I?

I brought back some really nice whiskey. and lots of presents. and "Crunchie" candy bars since you can't get those here. Also Christmas presents--my mom and I felt the need to support the local economy. A Lot.

I also bought Irish lace material so I can make curtains for my kitchen. In theory. The fabric will go next to the paint for my bookshelf and painting that needs to be framed in the "home improvement" pile. Or maybe with the cross-stitch I've been working on for 4 years.

Speaking of home improvement, my stepdad gave me a late birthday present-a very pretty framed poster of a building. The poster is by the architects of the building.

The building is the Reynolds Club. Yes folks, the place where I spent 4 years as an undergad and 2 thus far as a staff member. A poster of it will be hanging on my wall in my apartment.

In a lot of ways it is a really wonderful present. It's gorgeous poster of an attractive site. it's a building that means a lot to me, and it follows a theater/poster theme of gifts from him to me (this will be the 4th, if you count that he had a poster framed from "Woods...".

On the other hand, it means hanging a poster of where I work on my walls at home. You know?

My sister also gave me a late birthday present-- an antique garnet necklace that she bought when she visited Bali last year. I can't decide whether this is an error or intent as she gave me an antique garnet necklace from Bali last Christmas too. They aren't the same necklace, but they have similarities. Both very me. But really both go with exactly the same clothing. Both are choker-length. Both have the same number of stones. But one is a pendant on a black chain and the other is stones in a silver setting. So not identical at all. It could be on purpose. Or it could be that she bought one, wrote my name on the box, put it in her luggage and then two days later found the other and bought it, put my name on it, etc. At this rate I'll have an apartment decorated with posters of theater buildings and a jewelry box full of garnet necklaces... Actually, that sounds pretty good.

On a totally different note, my brother-in-law is coming to chicago for a conference on the 18-19th. he's bringing my sister, so at long last they'll visit. YAY. And my brother is planning on coming the week after, though it depends on a gig. YAY. So I won't be able to harass them for not visiting again. YAY.

'Course, it also means my aparment has to be super clean for my sister. oh dear. maybe that pile of home improvement projects needs to shrink...

enough rambling. jet lag is putting me to sleep.
- posted by Heidi @ 9:57 PM

 
I'm Back!!
Well, in the country. not back in Chicago.

Very jet lagged. but home to good and interesting news!

1) The Red Sox have rocked in my absence

2) My budget for the FY that started June 1 has (at last) been approved in full, including making a staff member full time and supporting materials for the outreach program.

3) The Jeff nominations were announced and my former mentor is in direct competition with David Schwimmer.

4) New City's annual 50 most important people in Chicago Theater> came out. some interesting points:
-last year's #1 is this year's #4
-#29 is listed alone, without his theater company...
-last year's duo at #42 are now at #35 (yay!)
-#37 lists Cassie as one of "an unofficial group of highly versatile actors regularly cast in Shakespeare productions".
-My former mentor (same one as above) is at 45 whereas my boyfriend's is at #40.
-And, in my favorite change, #50 is now one person. Someone my age (which makes me feel old!) who is really talented has displaced last year's "the rest of the steppenwolf ensemble" for the last slot. Course, more Swolf ensemble members got their own listings...but now we can't even tease the boss for having a lower ranked significant other than the employees, since hers is no longer ranked. Which is, in the grand scheme of world theater, kind of amusing.

Also, you should read Ben & Andre's citation. I think the last line refers to the show that Andre got a jeff for...

I will write about Ireland, my new baby step-niece, passport hell, and so much more later on. I'm beginning to run out of post-airplane adrenaline.
- posted by Heidi @ 8:49 PM

 
Things Learned this week...
1) It's easy to get a new passport within 24 hours. Or, I hope it is. 1:30 appointment, they promise passport by 4, flight leaves at 8
2) forgetting to take your medication is bad. Starting up again at full dosage is worse.
3) If you have prescribed sleeping pills, it would make sense to bring them on a vacation that involves a) international travel and b) sharing a room with a parent who snores. Forgetting them in Chicago would be worse than forgetting your passport. forgetting both? downright unforgivable. OOPS.
4) Maine is even more beautiful every year.
5) I don't ever want to be 98 years old. Not ever.
6) 98-year olds don't like doctors. They don't want doctors near them.
7) Driving for 6 hours with your mother is very different at 24 then it was at 16. Enjoyable even.
8) Vaseline, the only thing that will restore my lips, is located next to the hemmeroid creams in CVS
9) I miss Chicago, but am excited for Ireland.
- posted by Heidi @ 9:37 AM