Recently I went out of town for the weekend to visit some friends of my S.O., since my S.O. is not as youthful as myself, several of his friends already have small children so I got to be exposed to the 2 and 3 year old set.
While I don't have any children myself, I like children just fine, they are cute, sweet, etc. but I think that parents out there are keeping a secret from us non-parents and I think everyone needs to fess up and admit that - quite often those 2,3, and 4 year olds are not likable little people. Before you get all indignant on me and say that I can't possibly understand (which you're right I can't) just hear me out. These kids, no longer babies, not quite fully functioning, interesting 5 and 6 year olds can really drive us all nuts. They can't articulate what they are thinking/feeling and therefore scream, whine and are generally irritating to the point of pulling your hair you - which is through no fault of their own, they are developing, it's natural - what's not natural is everyone else parents and the childless included just nodding politely and ignoring the fact that these kids are driving us crazy. I think everyone could benefit from fessing up to the fact that sometimes kids are highly frustrating/annoying - it would be cathartic. No longer would the mother have to slink away embarrassed in the store when her kid goes nuts - she can look others in the eye and say "yes, he is getting on my nerves too". Everyone should take the pressure off of themselves and quite pretending that little people who have only been on this earth 24 or 36 months are always delightful. God knows that we are all too ready to acknowledge that those our own age can be highly annoying so why not just extend that down to those in diapers?
Friday, May 25, 2007
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
I'll Always Look Younger Than Vivian
There is a phenomenon that I experience if not on a daily then at least a weekly basis and I'm convinced I live in some sort of time warp. Why is that when I look at pictures or film of people that are older than me but are at least the same age or younger than me in said pictures and film that they do not appear younger or the same age as me? This is truly puzzling. For example, I recently caught a glimpse of Pretty Woman on tv and while Julia Roberts can be no older than 20 in that movie, somehow when I look at her she still appears older than me (let's keep in mind this is all a mental thing - if we were to compare 20 year old Julia to 28 year old me I am sure there may be a few slight differences).
I just find it so curious that the brain somehow cannot process the image of someone you know to be older than you ever looking younger than you. Is this some sort of self-preservation mechanism that keeps us from running to the Botox until absolutely necessary? I am envisioning an older version of myself only watching 'classic' movies and tv in order to feel forever young!
Am I alone in feeling this way or was there a point when you were watching your Molly Ringwald movies and finally felt older than Andie, Claire or Samantha - I have yet to.
I just find it so curious that the brain somehow cannot process the image of someone you know to be older than you ever looking younger than you. Is this some sort of self-preservation mechanism that keeps us from running to the Botox until absolutely necessary? I am envisioning an older version of myself only watching 'classic' movies and tv in order to feel forever young!
Am I alone in feeling this way or was there a point when you were watching your Molly Ringwald movies and finally felt older than Andie, Claire or Samantha - I have yet to.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
A Tradition That Needs To Go
I'm sure you can tell from my last post that I am in baseball mode again (just wait till I start playing softball too - it will get even worse!) So I have been watching a few Cubs games so far this season (not too many, no need to add to my stress level until at least late August). However, while watching these games something has struck me and I can't believe that it's never really dawned on me before - the ridiculousness of managers also wearing a uniform.
First of all most of the managers are middle-aged to pushing elderly and rarely even in shape, so just from a fashion perspective the uniform is not a good look for them (Lou Pinella even though they are vertical stripes they are not slimming!). The second and most glaring point - none of the other professional sports managers/coaches wear the uniform of their team while coaching - have you ever seen Bill Belichick sporting pads and short pants (must qualify here that this is equally bad as his current cut-off sweatshirts) or how about Charlie Weiss, maybe if he wore a uniform he could sneak into the game as a lineman. Phil Jackson - do we see him in the extra, baggy Lakers uniform complete with sweatband ? No! We don't - they wear suits or at least khakis and some sort of team logo shirt/pullover. They need to dress differently than the players 1) because they aren't players 2) because their team looks to them for direction and I don't care if you discount the power of the clothes/leadership connection, if someone is wearing a suit they will command your attention and respect more than someone in warm up pants (at least until they say something asinine). I personally would love a movement back to the 60s and have everyone decked out in suits and hats! Love the Tom Landry look - call me strange.
I think that baseball could also benefit from a little more disciplined coaching as well if managers had to step up their wardrobe a bit, would you sit idly and spit sunflower seeds in the 7th if you were wearing Armani - I think not!
Bud Selig - you can expect my memo on this shortly.
First of all most of the managers are middle-aged to pushing elderly and rarely even in shape, so just from a fashion perspective the uniform is not a good look for them (Lou Pinella even though they are vertical stripes they are not slimming!). The second and most glaring point - none of the other professional sports managers/coaches wear the uniform of their team while coaching - have you ever seen Bill Belichick sporting pads and short pants (must qualify here that this is equally bad as his current cut-off sweatshirts) or how about Charlie Weiss, maybe if he wore a uniform he could sneak into the game as a lineman. Phil Jackson - do we see him in the extra, baggy Lakers uniform complete with sweatband ? No! We don't - they wear suits or at least khakis and some sort of team logo shirt/pullover. They need to dress differently than the players 1) because they aren't players 2) because their team looks to them for direction and I don't care if you discount the power of the clothes/leadership connection, if someone is wearing a suit they will command your attention and respect more than someone in warm up pants (at least until they say something asinine). I personally would love a movement back to the 60s and have everyone decked out in suits and hats! Love the Tom Landry look - call me strange.
I think that baseball could also benefit from a little more disciplined coaching as well if managers had to step up their wardrobe a bit, would you sit idly and spit sunflower seeds in the 7th if you were wearing Armani - I think not!
Bud Selig - you can expect my memo on this shortly.
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Chicago, fickle? Never.
Recently me and my S.O. were having a heated discussion about a recent Bill Simmons article (if you're not aware of Bill Simmons, go to espn.com right now - he is their sports columnist and is amazingly funny and knowledgeable about all things sports and pop culture related - if he wasn't married I would contemplate running away with him).
At any rate, the discussion (over whether or not fans actually like Roger Clemens) basically disintegrated into a conversation about Chicago fans, he claiming that they we are worse than New York or Boston fans and me exclaiming that we are far better than either of them. His argument was that Chicago fans are fickle, turning on any 'star' on the team as soon as they stop performing and then relentlessly heckling them, citing Sammy and Rex as examples of such behavior. The rationale for the "worse than New York and Boston fans" argument was that although New York fans are known for being harsh and critical, that at least their team gets results (but that's not really fair - we can control the spending habits of Chicago sports management) and while Boston fans were more pathetic, sticking with a sinking player for a long time, at least they earned some credibility in his eyes for not turning so quickly on their players (although now, with a World Series win under their belt I'd say that this too is changing).
Being the nice midwesterner that I am, I couldn't stand for a comparison that made us seem worse than New York and Boston (two of the rudest cities alive - second only to anywhere in New Jersey, don't get me started on New Jersey), so I argue that Chicago fans obviously better than either of the two. Sure, we may get upset and turn on star players but that's only because they aren't performing, not because we're angry that the owner dropped a lot of cash to stock the team - although perhaps we'll be throwing loose change at Soriano by the season's end if he doesn't perform. Keep in mind that the losing cross we bear is now the longest and the loneliest (at least in baseball) so we are far more suffering than any Boston fan can ever be, so if we appear anything but supportive it's because we're dealing with decades of loss, who can be expected to keep a consistently positive attitude when faced with years of experience that say otherwise - we're not fickle, we're realistic.
Bottom line, when your baseball stadium is the world's biggest bar and your football stadium is an outdoor one stuck in some of the most brutal winter weather there is it's impossible not to appear fickle to those that don't understand. Trying to consume as much beer as possible before the 7th inning cutoff can make the nicest person seem hostile and sitting in 10 degree weather watching your quarterback get sacked yet again might make you utter things that sound like a fairweather fan, but believe me, if you are at a Bears game in January, it really is anything but fairweather.
At any rate, the discussion (over whether or not fans actually like Roger Clemens) basically disintegrated into a conversation about Chicago fans, he claiming that they we are worse than New York or Boston fans and me exclaiming that we are far better than either of them. His argument was that Chicago fans are fickle, turning on any 'star' on the team as soon as they stop performing and then relentlessly heckling them, citing Sammy and Rex as examples of such behavior. The rationale for the "worse than New York and Boston fans" argument was that although New York fans are known for being harsh and critical, that at least their team gets results (but that's not really fair - we can control the spending habits of Chicago sports management) and while Boston fans were more pathetic, sticking with a sinking player for a long time, at least they earned some credibility in his eyes for not turning so quickly on their players (although now, with a World Series win under their belt I'd say that this too is changing).
Being the nice midwesterner that I am, I couldn't stand for a comparison that made us seem worse than New York and Boston (two of the rudest cities alive - second only to anywhere in New Jersey, don't get me started on New Jersey), so I argue that Chicago fans obviously better than either of the two. Sure, we may get upset and turn on star players but that's only because they aren't performing, not because we're angry that the owner dropped a lot of cash to stock the team - although perhaps we'll be throwing loose change at Soriano by the season's end if he doesn't perform. Keep in mind that the losing cross we bear is now the longest and the loneliest (at least in baseball) so we are far more suffering than any Boston fan can ever be, so if we appear anything but supportive it's because we're dealing with decades of loss, who can be expected to keep a consistently positive attitude when faced with years of experience that say otherwise - we're not fickle, we're realistic.
Bottom line, when your baseball stadium is the world's biggest bar and your football stadium is an outdoor one stuck in some of the most brutal winter weather there is it's impossible not to appear fickle to those that don't understand. Trying to consume as much beer as possible before the 7th inning cutoff can make the nicest person seem hostile and sitting in 10 degree weather watching your quarterback get sacked yet again might make you utter things that sound like a fairweather fan, but believe me, if you are at a Bears game in January, it really is anything but fairweather.
Friday, May 11, 2007
Erba - A Review
Discovered another delightful dinner spot this past week, Erba in Lincoln Square. I had noticed the place for the past year or two but had never heard a word mentioned about until recently so I decided that I must check it out.A small, modern Italian place that doesn't take reservations, set up along what is quickly becoming Lincoln Square's restaurant row (next to Tank and Bistro Campagne). They have a outdoor patio but sadly it was not yet open the night I was there even though it was easily 75 degrees out.
The menu while not lengthy, is carefully thought out and represents a modern take on some Tuscan fare as well as the Piedmont region of Italy (I personally had no idea there was a place called Piedmont in Italy - my new learning for that day).
While I waited for my dining companion I enjoyed a limoncello and soda, any place that serves limoncello automatically rises a few notches in my book (I never realized I had so much in common with Danny Devito). Since there were so many delicious options to choose from we decided to share a few, first a creamy polenta with mushrooms for a starter - I tried to be polite and only eat my share, really I did! Then for dinner we shared a light risotto (if risotto can be light???) with parmesan, lemon and artichokes, followed by scallops wrapped in pancetta served on pureed bed of cannellini beans. Both items were delicious and even though we were splitting the items they still brought us ample portions served individually. No room for dessert that night but they too are supposed to be outstanding. There was so much more on the menu that caught by eye, great pastas, veal, several appetizer nice and light and perfect for eating out on a patio - so if you want to try it for yourself, call me and I'll go again!
The menu while not lengthy, is carefully thought out and represents a modern take on some Tuscan fare as well as the Piedmont region of Italy (I personally had no idea there was a place called Piedmont in Italy - my new learning for that day).
While I waited for my dining companion I enjoyed a limoncello and soda, any place that serves limoncello automatically rises a few notches in my book (I never realized I had so much in common with Danny Devito). Since there were so many delicious options to choose from we decided to share a few, first a creamy polenta with mushrooms for a starter - I tried to be polite and only eat my share, really I did! Then for dinner we shared a light risotto (if risotto can be light???) with parmesan, lemon and artichokes, followed by scallops wrapped in pancetta served on pureed bed of cannellini beans. Both items were delicious and even though we were splitting the items they still brought us ample portions served individually. No room for dessert that night but they too are supposed to be outstanding. There was so much more on the menu that caught by eye, great pastas, veal, several appetizer nice and light and perfect for eating out on a patio - so if you want to try it for yourself, call me and I'll go again!
Saturday, May 5, 2007
The Most Under Appreciated Man In Show Business
There is a man in Hollywood who I believe is firmly underrated, he's been around for quite awhile and although he's old enough to be my dad I still think he is fabulous. That man is Mr. Tom Selleck, not only is he the only individual who has successfully pulled of the mustache for over 30 years but he has also been able to remain and attractive and appealing to several generations of tv viewers. While I vaguely remember him from his Magnum P.I. days where he sported the Tigers hat and short shorts (again a tough look to pull off but he manages!) to his brief stint on friends. I believe that in a large part Tom is responsible for my belief that the mustache can be an acceptable form of facial hair. The other person responsible for that is my dad (I cried when he shaved his off finally - I think I was about 13 at the time - it was traumatic!). So mustache disgressions aside, Tom is an all-around nice guy, you never hear anything bad about him, he's never been involved in any weird sex scandal (to my knowledge) and come on, anyone who can remain hot from 1980 to 2007 - that should be rewarded in and of itself. So take a moment and appreciated the mustachioed man (see I used the word mustachioed - ten bonus points!) who is highly underappreciated, and then pull up your tv guide and see if there is a rerun of Magnum on the classic station.
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
What's The Fascination Gentleman ?
You've heard me chat about my book club on several occasions - I love book club for a number of reasons (excuse to drink wine, gossip and snack - isn't that enough?) but the one thing that I really love about it is the interesting conversation topics it brings up. Take last week's meeting it ranged from the miracle of birth, to an in-depth foray into circumcision (interesting) to the topic that really struck a chord. Specifically, men and their propensity to spend extreme amounts of time in the bathroom doing all sorts of activities. While I profess that I am not quite sure how we got onto this topic, I assure you, it was one of interest and amazement to our group. After a brief comparison of tales we all learned that the respective men in our lives love to camp out on the john. Reading, emailing, drinking coffee, talking on the phone - the variety of tasks they can engage in while otherwise indisposed was quite impressive. However, what really got us was the duration of their little vacation to the porcelain throne. Twenty, thirty, forty-five minutes - all times that have been clocked in various bathroom marathons around the northside of Chicago.
Why ????
We could not fathom what is pleasurable about hanging out in there for so long? Truly, it's puzzling. It's not the most comfortable seat in the house, there are definitely better smells in kitchen, there's no tv in there (at least to my knowledge) so why, oh why, is this such an appealing spot for the male gender to hunker down and camp out for some quality alone time.
Now I love to hang out in the bathroom as much as anyone else, but in front of the mirror primping, not sipping my latte and reading The Times, and to call a girlfriend for a little chat while I let it lie - unheard of!
So again, and quite unintended, I have unearthed yet another example of why we are really the most reasonable, rational sex. Are my girlfriends and I are missing some great meaning of life that lurks in the bano? What drives those with the Y chromosome into this tiled haven? I can find no logical reason for it!
Why ????
We could not fathom what is pleasurable about hanging out in there for so long? Truly, it's puzzling. It's not the most comfortable seat in the house, there are definitely better smells in kitchen, there's no tv in there (at least to my knowledge) so why, oh why, is this such an appealing spot for the male gender to hunker down and camp out for some quality alone time.
Now I love to hang out in the bathroom as much as anyone else, but in front of the mirror primping, not sipping my latte and reading The Times, and to call a girlfriend for a little chat while I let it lie - unheard of!
So again, and quite unintended, I have unearthed yet another example of why we are really the most reasonable, rational sex. Are my girlfriends and I are missing some great meaning of life that lurks in the bano? What drives those with the Y chromosome into this tiled haven? I can find no logical reason for it!
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