The Weekend that ends with me having to Wake up before 7am on Monday to Move My Car

Other than that, it was all gravy. No late nights. No nasty hangovers. No reasons to feel more worn out than I did at the onset of the weekend. I think I can finally clock back into work and get some stuff done this week. I won't kid myself, though. I find it harder and harder to be productive with the low morale around the office. Oh well...let us enjoy lessons from the chilled out weekend that was.

- It was Friday afternoon at 2:30. I looked around my 'pod'. One boss was in Toronto. My co-worker was at the Cubs game. My supervisor/peer (I'm not sure if I'm an equal...I can't tell) left town. I asked someone where the other boss was and found out that he was at the Cubs game. What does that mean for me? I gave myself permission to leave work early. It probably didn't look good to any of the big-bosses walking around that our entire group was out before 4pm...but I don't really care about that. I only care to answer to two people at my office, and they were out of the office. I'm starting to think I like my job for all the wrong reasons.

- Friday night featured us enjoying beverages in the front lawn of Fort Awesome on the corner of Addison and Beal. On a game day, the street is a carnival of hilarity. All the drunks in the cars (possibly the drivers as well) say the funniest shit as they drive by. That kind of setting is perfect for a people watcher like myself.

- Amidst all the traffic and people watching, we witnessed a domestic dispute contained in a white Jeep. This couple was going at it full steam. As they drove by in the westerly direction, we could clearly hear them shouting back and forth. They stopped a little ways down the street from us and the woman screeched: "I'm taking the train!" This was met with a very mature "Fine! Be that Way!" The woman got out of the jeep and walked east past us. We thought the show was over. Not by a long shot. Two minutes later, the Jeep circled around the block and slammed on its brakes on Beal street at the intersection (going south and just to our east). The guy was driving very erratically as he searched for his missing lady. Heh...he must have passed by five times looking for this woman. I'm guessing that the poor woman probably crawled back to him later on that night. A lot of people get trapped in these stupid cycles. If I ever get into an argument with a girlfriend that features someone getting out of the car and walking away...I probably have no business being in that relationship in the first place. Steve might have said that first, so I could be quoting him...but I wholeheartedly agree.

- Weather dot com said "82 degrees". I took that as a sign that I could enjoy my bikeride in a wife beater and shorts. I should have checked the wind direction. The wind knocked that temperature down quite a bit (upper 50's). I almost wussed out and went back inside after a mile, but I kept on. Note to self: Just go outside and see for yourself before riding.

- The hook to the theme song of Return of the Dragon has been a family inside joke for years. It is horribly corny and only fitting for a kung-fu flick made in 1972. My brother would occasionally start whistling the theme song at a random moment and we'd have a laugh. On Saturday, he called me up and whistled the theme song on my voicemail. Strangely enough, I was watching that movie just before I missed that call. Woah...what are the odds?

- As much as I liked Return of the King, it was a bit tedious to watch it for the third time in the movie theatres. I thought the prospect of getting sloshed at a Brew and View screening would make it fun. That wasn't the case. Twice was enough for me...two is the magic number.

- The "Check Engine" light turned on in my car. I successfully drove to Milwaukee and back today. I think putting tape on the dashboard should take car of it. Just kidding. I'm assuming it is a problem with a valve or something...but I'm reluctant to take the car in anytime soon. To me, that light says: "take car to dealer and bring lots of money." Until I have to drive a long distance again, I'll let that warning go for now.

- Did anyone see the Pistons destroy the Bucks today? Wow...they better bounce back. I smell a sweep otherwise.

- A bunch of relatives showed up at the house today. For some reason (perhaps by default), they were putting the pressure on me to get married soon. My answer: "uh...not in the next five years...wouldn't I need a willing wife for that?" My great-aunt suggested that I find a nice Filipina...I told her that I didn't want to marry a woman from the Philippines. For those unfamiliar, it is an elderly immigrant's dream to see their offspring marry natives from their country. I politely told her that anybody was fair game. Her reply: "ah, so you want to marry a foreigner?" Hmmm...by foreigner I think she meant 'White American'...but I could be wrong. I tried to explain that I, too was an American and lean in that direction. Two minutes later, my brother told her that I was gay. Her response to that? "just marry somebody"...ahhh.....classic.

I didn't think that much happened this weekend...but apparently, I can go on and on...I'll stop here. Wish me luck in not sleeping my normal schedule...I don't need my car towed on Monday morning.

. . [~] . 0 (Grumble) Grumbles .