while watching the bears and lions game (go lions!)

Two things brought me to Chicago. First, there was this pretty girl with curly brown hair. Second, there was this thing about the Michigan economy not being too great. This recent salon.com article, written by an ex-Michigander, gives a picture of what many already know: times are tough in Motor City and what the state needs (besides a budget apparently) is an industry to replace the one drowning in the middle of the Great Lakes.

Michigan did not become great because of the auto industry. The auto industry became great because of a Michigander, Henry Ford. The state still produces creative people. Google founder Larry Page, a Ford of the 21st century, grew up in East Lansing, and studied at the University of Michigan, whose main function seems to be giving young Michiganders the credentials to get the hell out of Michigan. Page went to California, but as a sop to his home state, Google is opening a 1,000-employee office in Ann Arbor.

(I've moved back to Michigan three times since college. My last attempt lasted a year -- until I was laid off. I now live on the North Side of Chicago, which is so crowded with my fellow economic refugees that we call it "Michago.")

Lost animals, it's big news in Chicago.

Saderson is not lost. I bet right now she is either sleeping or chewing apart the couch.

Let's hope sleeping.

i get a workout carrying the groceries home

While watching Tim Gunn's Guide to Style:

b: You may have been able to be a model.

j: What? Really? I HIGHLY doubt that. I'm not really the pretty one here.

b: Yeah, I think you could have.

j: Ummm, have you seen this face? Not to mention have you seen me with my shirt off? Not really the ideal model body.

b: True, but maybe Calvin Klein...you know, they like those skinny, malnourished looking guys.

a bio major at one point, now i sit in front of a 'puter

Every once in a while new breakthroughs in science shock and change the world. The discovery of DNA...not bad. Sending some people to the moon?...fueled many a childs dreams. This week, though, a new science breakthrough came about that will change lives, keep the earth a bit cleaner, and probably even cure some small forms of cancer and make you more pretty and have bigger muscles and get girls or boys. whatever.

click

on repeat

The National - "Apartment Story"
from the album Boxer

a few things

First, there was a race car in my office building today. A full blown Indy race car just sitting in the lobby with some cones around it. I am not really sure how it got there or why it was there or even whose it was but it was there. I might try that with my bike. Ride right in and put some cones around it.

Second, there was a guy playing Christmas music on his saxophone.

Third, Brooke got popped in the nose by our dog pretty good. Brooke was cleaning up Saderson's toys ('cause she's messy), Sadie saw her pick up a bone, got excited and BAM! a wicked right hook to the face. There is a bruise and some bleeding but everything looks ok now.

Fourth, Sadie did not punch me.

And last but CERTAINLY not least...Tracy starts winding her way back to the windy city tomorrow!