My friend (and ex), John, is coming into town this weekend from the D. I haven't seen him in....well, a very long time, so my close friends are very curious what this all "means." I'd much rather bask in the glow of obliviousness than think about it, so I'm just going to concentrate on having fun. He called and surprised me today by saying he got us 2 tickets to see "Wicked" this Saturday! Tickets are super hard to come by, so I'm not sure who he had to mug to get them, but we're goin'! Yeah!

I've got nothin' planned for his visit. He's all gonna be like, "Look at how awesome I am with these tickets" and I'm gonna be like, "Look, it's the Sears Tower. Oh, there it is again behind this building. Ha - you just can't get away from it, can you?" YAWN. I'm hoping I can go scalp some sox or cubs tickets to make up for my lack of planning. Which is amusing to me, seeing as I am an event planner.

Today, I saw a soda machine that accepted debit cards.

And on this day, God rested.

Y'all have no idea how happy this made me.

This weekend, I had stopped by the Taste to check in on some work-related things. I'm probably the only person who doesn't actually eat at the Taste because there's something about chicken sitting around in 95 degree heat that doesn't exactly scream "YUM!" to me, but I digress.

While walking around, I noticed clusters of protesters standing near the "Go Army" Hummer. One of the protesters was yelling the names of soldiers that have died, the dates they died, and how they died over the blaring (hip hop/rap) music coming out of the pimped out H2 Hummer. Music videos were streaming out of the back of the customized flat screen monitor in the trunk. I was half-expecting Xzibit from "Pimp My Ride" to be there.



The Army has clearly gone crunk.

The Go Army tent was staffed with attractive women passing out brochures and signing kids up as potential leads. Next to the tent was a basketball hoop, which if you made the shot, you'd win a Go Army t-shirt.

Look, I understand the Army has to recruit and I'm thankful there currently isn't a draft. The problem, however, is that no prize or contest will ever express what a poor kid from the hood or the South (event areas that the Army has been been targeting) will actually be dedicating his life to. Statistics have pointed to the fact that, historically, minorities been overrepresented in the U.S. armed forces. The idea of targeting minorities for recruitment is completely unnecessary and quite frankly, continues to disgust me.


(image courtesy of Gene Expression)

Instead of spending money to improve community centers or sending mentors into underprivileged communities, we are sending fully loaded Hummer vehicles playing hip-hop to let people know that the Army is the right way to go. While I enjoy the profession that I have chosen, even I have to take a step back and see that this glorified lifestyle is being used to deceive.

I think it's honorable to serve for your country, but I think it is highly disturbing that the people making military decisions (i.e., President Bush) do not even have the same interests or concerns as the average lower-income young black male. When it comes to war, we often send the poor, we send minorities while we get to watch -- comfortably at home -- on television. I think it's time to re-evaluate how exactly those "chosen few" are lured in.

More about Britney Spears and other stupid shit tomorrow...

If you happen to be at Buckingham Fountain at the Taste (today through the 4th of July) with your laptop and notice that you're getting a free WiFi connection, just know that I had a little part in that. You're welcome.

You know PMS has settled in for its monthly appearance when you realize you're crying during the wedding ceremony scene in the series finale of "Britney & Kevin: Chaotic."

...

Fuckin' A.

Um, you guys. I just got a really creepy card in the mail. Look.



And inside it said...



"Megan,

Our love began with a glance across a parking lot.
You possessed me in just a few days.
I remember long drives through the countryside,
And long weekend getaways.

But the years passed, and like uphostery in the hot sun,
Your love began to fade
And now in a time when I need your care the most,
You hit the blinker, and turn away.

And while our gas tank of love may be running on fumes,
we need not go through this alone.
For if you still have a quart of tenderness left for me in your heart,
You'll take me back to the car care professionals at Firestone.

Love, Your 1999 Cougar."

You guys, don't you see? CHRISTINE IS CONTACTING ME FROM THE DARK SIDE....(and is giving me valuable coupons).

I think there's something medically wrong with me, because I've sat through Rush's "Tom Sawyer" TWICE this weekend and did not change the station either time. No girls like prog. rock.

It's nice outside. I shall go out and play.

Because I'm lazy and my blog is lazy, all I'm posting today is your favorite new music video.

(thanks, thode)

I have a sore throat - it's just so wrong to be sick in the summer, I think. Stupid (but awesome) air conditioning.

So, it's not normal to get a bonus in your paycheck and have no one tell you about it, right? Don't get me wrong, it's great news, but don't employers usually love basking in the glow of how awesome they are for doing that for you? Weird.

In the spirit of Dooce...

Things that annoy me:

- If someone asks you if you're still dating your boyfriend and you have to deliver the news that the two of you broke up, and their immediate response is, "Oh, you're still young, no worries." Apparently, she was telling me that I DON'T have to harvest my eggs just yet. THANK YOU for your reassurance, ya hag.

Incase you're interested, the Oprah show that Marjon, Ivon, my mom and I went to is re-airing tomorrow (Wed. 6/15). Because I WANT to relive the uplifting topic, "Atrocities to Children" all over again.

Some images from the weekend....



This is Jaume Plensa's Crown Fountain located on Michigan Ave. next to The Art Institute of Chicago. There are two towers and the images on the towers face each other. The faces blink and smile and sometimes they even spout actual water. The images change every 5 minutes or so, and I recently learned all the faces are of 1,000 Chicagoans. I don't know why that surprises me, but I assume everything is imported here. Of course, it has its critics, but I like it. I could stare at it for...well, at least a half an hour.



In the summer, water cascades down the sides of the towers, turning the area into an area where children (and a few adults) run and scream with excitement like it's an open fire hydrant.



This image was taken in Millennium Park's Lurie Garden, where apparently they don't want you to attempt to touch or feed the trees. Back away from the nature.

Maybe it's just a coincidence, but at two competely different events (in different cities) this weekend, the SAME psychic approached me, gave me her business card, and asked me if I'd like to do a reading. The second time I saw her, she approached me and just said, "I have a lot to tell you." It kinda freaked me out and I started thinking, "Maybe I SHOULD sit down for a reading." I politely denied the opportunity (both times) and walked away. She told me my aura is beautiful, which left me feeling kinda icky.



Stop looking at my aura.

Last night, I took a cooking class at Flavour Cooking School. It's only 5 blocks from my apartment, so I walked over there. Which doesn't seem monumental. Except the day I decide to walk is the day a flash thunderstorm decides to strike. Hey, thanks, God.

If you live in the area, (and are interested) I highly recommend taking a class there. My instructor was a little on the anal side, channeling her best Bree Van de Kamp to almost an irritating level, but she knew her stuff and I learned a few new things. Someday, I will take these learnings and be able to entertain the shit out of all of you. And you will love it.

After the class, I met up with some friends at Doc Ryan's. And then O'Sullivans. And then Healy's. (good thing I walked) I had purchased a few things after my class from Flavour that I had to carry around to the bars with me, which was kinda annoying. I was hoping Monty Hall from "Let's Make a Deal" would show up and ask me if I happened to have any Spicy Paprika, Sea Salt or Lavender honey on me, because i would've soooooooo won that $100.

Mmmm...the stripes are coming back to Chicago...mmmm...

Happy Birthday, Dad!!

Yay! - the Double Door has been saved.

Fellow Chicagoans: Help save The Double Door, and please sign the petition.

Memories from this blog at the Double Door:

- First bar I ever went to alone to see the Bettie Serveert show (and subsequently met some chick from Sweden named Ulrika Svensson - my Swedish "peep")
- Took Bob there and that's where he called the Von Bondies "Miller Lite"
- Saw Urge Overkill there with Bob on Valentine's Day. Which lead to me getting yelled at by the bouncer for trying to steal a poster (drunk), and subsequently lead to Bob getting mad at me (ok, not such a good memory)...but we later made up
- Met up with Detroit friends outside of there for the sold out The Darkness show and subsequently said "hey" and just went home
- Went to see Joseph Arthur there with The Rockers and took photo booth pictures with Betty R.
- Um...that's where apparently John Cusack's character DJed in "High Fidelity." (ok, that was a stretch, since I don't think I ever wrote about that)

Anyway, just save the damn bar. Thanks.

I heart Ebay.

Do you ever watch MTV's "Cribs" and see that 2 of the Hanson brothers are living in a 4,000 sq. foot apartment in NYC and just want to beat someone up?

My good friend, Laura, and her husband (weird to call him that), Chad, threw a bbq last night to both kick off the summer and to celebrate my birthday. I don't think there are many things better than barbequing on a gorgeous summer night in the city. Drinkin' beers on a balcony. Hoping it doesn't collapse. (It's a sensative subject in Chicago). Too drunk to care if it does.

Anyway, my pals chipped in and bought me a gift certificate to Sephora (love love). Thode bought me an iTunes gift certificate (thank you, thank you!), and my family gave a donation Megan S. Foundation (which they've been generous donors for past 28 years) so I feel like I'm livin' large right now.

I trekked over to Sephora today (way to show restraint, Megs) and bought this, this and this, which I'm actually a little afraid of esp. after the Lindsey Lohan incident, but beauty hurts, so I'm giving it a go.

Thode, I promise to burn you a copy of whatever I buy, but I can't promise that you won't get a drunken craptastic song like, Styx, "I am the Walrus" or something like that thrown in there. I'll call the CD, "Drinking with Megan." It'll be like ole times.

I went out for a few cocktails last night with friends. Betty R and Kenny were there, and Betty tells me some information that made both of us INSANE.

Did any of you know about the Goonies Reunion going on right now in Astoria, Oregon? If so, WHY DIDN'T ANY OF YOU TELL ME?

All I'm gonna say is if you KNEW and didn't tell me that there's gonna be Truffle Shuffle Contest judged BY CHUNK, I hope you can live with yourselves.

Helenjane is going. I'll have to live vicariously through her....sigh.

Today I was driving home, listening to 'the rap' as i sometimes do. Minding my own bidnazz.

So, I'm stuck in dead traffic and I'm listening to 50 cent's 'Lil' Bit.' I must've had it on a little too loud because all of a sudden I look over and these 2 black girls are staring at me and laughing. LAUGHING.

I mean, I'm sure it had nothing to do with the fact that I was wearing a fuckin' pink cable knit sweater, pink pearl necklace (I swear, I don't know what posessed me to wear that - I NEVER wear that), had my hair coiffed and was rapping along to the lyrics,

"Go shake that thang, yeah work that thang
Let me see it go up and down
Rotate that thang, I wanna touch that thang
Can you make it go round and round"

God, I'm white.