ok...so i've been pretty busy...i was in class 3 days downtown last week @ the university of chicago gleacher center...it was pretty nice...it's right by the NBC towers...i was taking a class through world at work, formerly known as the american compensation association, which is the certifying body for comp. professionals...i've decided that in the interest of expanding my career opportunities, i should become a certified comp professional...my boss has been suppportive, and this was the first of about a dozen classes i need to take for certification...yeah...really exciting...
so what else is new? uhmm...i got my copy of watchers' to the rooftops...i've listened to a copy of the master a bunch of times, but it's cool having the actual cd...the artwork on it is just lovely, compliments of ethan, watchers' amazing guitar player...the band's touring incessantly for over 3 weeks starting friday, their cd release party @ the metro...that should be a blast...of course it would be nice to see rt drumming for that show, but oh well...
what else...uhm...i went fishing on lake michigan last wednesday after my class...my friend pom who is an avid fisherman and my cousin kris & rt & i did some casting over the waters...i suck...we didn't catch anything, but we saw someone else catch this big ass fish...their dinner i think...we on the other hand went and bought our dinner @ matsuya, rt's favorite sushi joint...after dinner, rt & i went to the beat kitchen to see zapruder point...it's always cool to see them play, and as always jenn & john showed up too...i felt so bad though because i still have a bunch of john's highly treasured cds and i forgot to bring them to the show yet again...
thursday night was the international pop overthrow fest @ gunther murphy's...it was the wildwood artists night...originally, bill mallonee was supposed to play this gig, but he had to leave early for the uk, so it was just the detholz! and annie quick representing wildwood, as well as derek the booking agent extraordinaire's friends from detroit the riots...all three of these acts kicked ASS...rt was really impressed by the detholz!, as i knew he would be...
saturday, i drove annie to the airport and then i went over to rt's & we had pancakes w/ mj...rt & i played catch after lunch...it ws a really lovely day...and then we went to peet's coffee & tea for a little while and then did some shopping...we went to whole foods and got stuff to make dinner with, and we ended up making this awesome poached tilapia in white wine and steamed veggies...and we had a bottle of pretty good chardonnay to go with...
on sunday, rt & i went to his neighbor jim's church...we got there kind of early so we went over to sip cafe and had some coffee & biscotti...it was another warm beautiful day...perfect for hanging out at a cafe...oh...while we were driving to the cafe, we came to this red stoplight that seemed entirely useless...as rt slowed down, i thought to myself, 'if josh were driving, he'd just go right through the light...' and what does rt do? 
he goes through the light...not on purpose though, but i thought it was hilarious that i thought about how josh would go through the light...it's uncanny how rt reminds me of josh sometimes... jim's church is a predominantly african american pentecostal apostolic church...not what i'm used to but not something i hadn't seen...rt on the other hand had never experienced anything like it...the music was great...i LOVE gospel music...and all the ladies with the tambourines were just awesome...it was a really long service...3 hours worth...i was starving by the time we got out...we went to rt's place, got our bikes, and headed on towards the UIC campus...we ate lunch at a mexican place and then biked around campus remember stories from our college days...we were totally exhausted after that...
last night, rt & i went to see pete & amy & their newly born son elliot @ the hospital...the baby was so cute!!! but i can't believe pete & amy are parents...whoah...i couldn't imagine all that responsibility...after the hospital, rt & i went to the rainbow club for some drinks...that place is crawling with local indie rockers on most nights, but it was pretty quiet when we got there, since it was only 9pm...ryan of euphone was there, and rt talked to him a little bit...i didn't know who he was, but i guess he also used to be in a band called guage which is supposed to be awesome...i like the rainbow club because their beers are cheap...rt & i got a newcastle, a sierra nevada and two shots of southern comfort for $12.50...that's not a bad price...
when we left the bar, there was a knarly thunderstorm going on...i mean we saw lightning streaking across the sky and then the thunder was right behind it, which means we were pretty close to the action...i love thunderstorms...i can't wait for more...
been listening to--
to the rooftops--watchers
blue train--john coltrane
nemesisters--babes in toyland
end hits--fugazi
13 songs--fugazi
laid back and english--beatnik filmstars
audible sigh--bill mallonee & VoL
demo--annie quick
demo--seven head division
s/t ep--chin up chin up
blood on the tracks--bob dylan
the times they are a-changin'--bob dylan
Friday, May 2, 2003 at 8:37AM 
well, rt & i cooked a CASSEROLE of all things last night...a cheese & tomato macaroni bake to be exact...the funny part was making the garlic bread...rt got impatient waiting for the garlic to brown in the oven, so he threw it in the broiler...we were only going to leave it there for less than a minute, but the damage was already done...30 seconds later, we open the broiler door, and the poor bread's in flames! oh well...otherwise it was a yummy meal...
well...today is my dad's birthday...he would have been 65 years old...i still remember celebrating his 64th birthday in his hospital room...the nurses coming in with the cake singing to him...he was so weak and could barely stay awake through the song...none of us knew that he'd be leaving us for good the next day...even now, as i have the one year anniversary to deal with tomorrow, i don't understand how it is that my dad's not around any more...i don't know how i feel about it...i don't think i'll ever understand or know fully how i really feel...it's been months and months of heartache since he left me...i'm not the same girl i was a year ago, that's for sure...do i miss my dad? of course i do...i don't think i'll ever get over him leaving...
on a totally different topic, tonight is watchers' cd release party for their debut album 'to the rooftops' not to be confused w/ VoL's 'to the roof of the sky' (which is also an excellent, excellent album btw)...michael got me a photo pass so i have another chance to take pictures at the metro, which is probably my favorite venue for photos because of the awesome lighting...however, in terms of as an indie rock venue, it's just a bit big for me...the bottle's probably my favorite...but their lighting sucks...anyways, the apes & the eternals are also playing tonight so it should be a pretty kick ass show...i'm glad rt's going to the show, even though he's not in the band any more...the cd is really really awesome, and something he should be proud of and celebrate...
