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Hallmark store, Randolph Street, Chicago, Illinois
Category Archive: For Reals
Sep
01
Facebook Is For Puppy Pics and Drooling Babies, Not Political Fights.
A wise Pinterest pin once read: “Thanks for changing my political ideology through your rant on Facebook, said nobody, ever.” And I wholeheartedly subscribe to that theory.
Facebook is a place for pictures of puppies dressed as people and photos of cute babies drooling. It is NOT the place for political cheerleading and berating others for their opinions and beliefs. It’s a place to solicit donations for fun runs, thoughts and prayers for ill family members, to commiserate about crappy jobs, brag/vent about wonderful/shitty spouses and/or kids.
Aug
07
Some people take Forever XXI quite literally.
Chicago, IL
Jul
07
Cough Drop Manufacturers Really Suck, Part II
It’s bad enough to be sick during summer, but to have cough drop manufacturers kicking you when you’re down is just plain mean. Last year, I discovered that cough drop companies think we’re morons. Hall’s now has a campaign where they offer “a pep talk in every drop!” Um, I feel like crap. I can’t taste anything and am coughing so hard I’ve pulled a muscle in my chest. My nose is raw from blowing it and I have zero appetite because I have a mucus pool forming in my stomach. (Gross, I know.) I’ve been sick for more than two weeks. Gimme a break. So when I read your “inspirational saying” that I should “inspire envy” … well, excuse me while I punch you in the throat.
Jun
23
Adventures in Healthcare: Northern Ohio Edition
I woke up Friday morning, the first day of my four day vacation, with a sore throat. Uh-oh, I thought to myself. This won’t be good. A shower didn’t help, neither did the 7+hour road trip I’d taken the day before from Chicago to Ohio with my brother and sister-in-law’s boisterous but loveable dog, Walter, to whom I am very allergic. I did everything I could – purchased the Zyrtec plus congestion meds that I was put on the national meth registry for buying, sat in the front seat, etc. By Friday afternoon, the sore throat had migrated down into my chest and I hacked like a life-long smoker with a breathing problem. By the time we’d arrived at my family’s lake house Friday night, I knew I was in trouble. (For those who are regular readers of my blog, this is the same place where I had my eyebrow threading adventures last summer.)
Jun
16
Well this makes a lot of sense…
A few weeks ago, as I was walking to work, I noticed a bunch of signs like this one posted on trees.
Chicago, Spring 2012
May
27
A Night at the (Turtle) Races
I had been looking forward to the Turtle Races for months, ever since my friend Michelle told me about the bar that hosted it down the street from her husband’s old neighborhood. We had planned to go before, but I’d gotten sick and wasn’t able to attend. So when the e-mail titled “Turtle racing?” arrived in my inbox last week, I was all over it.
Big Joe's Chicago, IL
May
12
Kids Say the Darndest Things, Chicago Edition
I was walking down State Street today and passed this window display at the Chicago Public Library.
State Street, Chicago, May 12, 2012
It’s a “You Are Beautiful” message for passersby, meant to elicit a smile or give a self-esteem boost as you go about your day. At least, that’s what I think it was intended to do. Upon closer inspection, I saw the following that made me think that kids these days are way more precocious (even slutty!) than we ever were.
May
05
Worst. PSA. Ever.
OK, I understand that it’s a Public Service Announcement, but what is up with this sign?
Sign near UIC, Chicago, May 2012
Ah, to be a fly on the wall at that marketing meeting: “Well, it should be a PSA, but let’s make it educational for the non-rapey adults who are waiting for a bus!” I think stick-figure theater kind of takes away the impact of what should be a powerful message anyway. Just my two cents.
Apr
22
Dancing with the Stars: Las Vegas Revue
I was in Las Vegas the same weekend “Dancing with the Stars” kicked off its Vegas revue at the Tropicana. Given that I’ve been blogging about the show, I figured the least I could do was stop by and see what it’s about up-close. What follows are my observations about the show.
Some attendees took the event way to seriously. Case in point, this woman who was dressed as a disco ball. 
The waitstaff were supposed to be dressed like performers in glitter and sequins, but they didn’t look like ballroom dancers. Maybe it was the VIP waitress’ tramp stamp awesome decision she’ll never regret in her old age AT ALL.
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