Busy busy!

Good stress is still stress. This is what I learned in school. I definitely believe this. Just looking at my calendar for the next three months blows my mind and gives me hives. I'm not complaining, mind you. I like having stuff to do and to look forward to, but I like having a little bit of time to myself as well.

Right now my uncle is in town for a work thing. We're possibly having dinner tonight. He's actually staying at a hotel that is directly across the street from my office, so that's kind of neat. My friend Karima, who I haven't seen since 2001-ish is in town for a dental conference of some sort. I don't know what we're going to do, but I'm looking forward to whatever it is! She provided me with some of my favorite memories from high school...I can't believe it's been so long.

Next week we have a sneak peak of I Love You, Man on Tuesday. This is exciting because a) the movie looks hi-fucking-larious and b) Paul Rudd and Jason Segel will be there doing a Q&A. This time, I will not forget my camera and I WILL get a damn picture will Paul Rudd!!!



Then we have tickets to see Watchmen at the IMAX next Friday, Bill Maher and Ann Coulter at the Chicago Theatre (I've never been to the Chicago Theatre before, so yay for first times!) and Paul F. Tompkins at the Lakeshore Theater the week after. He's recording his comedy CD there too, so I feel pretty safe in assuming that he will indeed bring his A-game.

So, yeah, these are all fun things and I'm really looking forward to them...and I'm anxious about them because I always want everything to go really well and that stresses me out a bit. I'm neurotic and a perfectionist. This works both in my favor and against me every day of my life.

Looks like spring brings with warmer weather, concerts and events galore, and much less staying indoors on the weekends. I can't wait to have a barbeque on our sun deck and walk around downtown snapping pictures and just hanging out. I can't wait to pack away the slacks and the tights for a while and buy a new skirt or two. Ah, daydreams.

Speaking of purchasing, I will leave you with this: I'm getting a fairly significant tax return this year. Larger than ever before. I want to save it, but I want...not quite need, but desperately want...to get a new computer. My dream machine would be a desktop Mac. I can't afford this, even with the refund. So I've been eyeing a shiny new red Dell laptop. I can get one with everything I want for roughly $600-$700. Thing is, I can't justify spending this on a new laptop when I have a laptop that still works. So, I need my current one to completely poop out on me ASAP or I need to just live with the lack of free space and lack of speed. Or I need someone to convince me that it's worth it to get a new one. I think everyone I know has a Mac, so help a sista out, Mac people. Convince me to spend all of my savings in this crappy economy on a fancy new toy. I dare you!

A quickie

I need to post something...bad. A few things have been preventing me.

One: The boyfriend and I have started watching Friday Night Lights and you know what it's like when you get on a roll with a show, right? It's hard to stop, and we're not even through Season One yet.

Two: I'm thinking about changing up my blog style. Let's face it, I use this mostly to rave about something I'm currently in love with, be it a television program, a band, a movie, a website, a podcast, a food, etc. Soooo, I'm thinking of changing the name and format to suit the "Today I recommend/am really into _______." theme that has emerged as I continue to post. Just a thought, but I don't really have the time to do that at the moment.

Three: Jon's computer has been out of commission for the past week, so I feel bad using mine all night. We've mostly been sharing, but he's been good about doing other things too, so I don't want to be the one glued to the laptop for hours.

Four: I think my eyeglass prescription needs some updating. I've had these lenses for a couple of years now and I'm starting to think my vision has changed due to being on the computer all day at work, squinting to see the TV, too much bright sun or something. My eyes just need a rest when I come home most days and by the time I get online, I need to take care of business and get off.

Speaking of getting off, I have some FNL to watch, so here I go! :)

Something to smile about

This, my friends, is a beautiful thing:

And it reminds me that spring is indeed around the corner. It's amazing how different 40 degrees feels in February than it does in October. The snow is beginning to melt and only a few man- and plow-made icebergs linger in the corners of parking lots. This may be the first weekend in a long time that I don't feel like hibernating, and that's a good thing, because we are going to see the lovely Maria Bamford and local comic Dan Telfer at the Lakeshore Theater tomorrow night. The best part? It's free! The Lakeshore is always a good time, and there is nothing I would rather do on a Saturday night than go to a comedy show or concert.

In other Chicago comedy news, I was listening to one of my favorite podcasts today at work (well, I listened to a few goodies, but I have something to say about this one in particular), and I felt the need to post about it on *GB*. I'm always happy when I can post about something I love on the site and if it turns even one new person into a listener, I will be beyond thrilled!

Comedy and Everything Else is a weekly comedy podcast featuring Todd Glass, Jimmy Dore, and Stephane Zamorano. I started listening because when I was a young, impressionable 24-year-old, I watched Todd Glass on Last Comic Standing and thought he was the shit. He was the only person on Seasons 2 and 3 that I found even remotely funny (sorry, Ant!), mostly for his straightforward and sort of goofy (in a good way...playful may be a better word?) persona. When I found out he was starting a podcast, I was on board immediately.

30 episodes in, I still love it and am a loyal listener and fan. The "comedy" is not anyone doing a written set of jokes, mind you (though there is a little shtick thrown in sometimes). It involves a lot of talk about early days in their careers, being on the road, good and bad comedy clubs, heckling, heroes in the biz, and a tiny bit of industry gossip. The "everything else" includes politics, religion, infomercials, marriage, gay rights, raising children, education, smoking cigarettes, smoking pot, pop culture, and much much more. Sometimes controversial, always funny, I like that they aren't afraid to say some of the things that I would like to say if only I had the balls. I almost always agree with them, too...and sometimes, I even learn.

The episodes are all a bit long compared to most podcasts, usually hovering somewhere around the two hour mark, but I always feel like it's worth the investment to listen to the whole thing. They also have amazing guests (in my opinion), from Doug Benson to Jimmy Pardo and Jeneane Garofalo to Jen Kirkman. Ok, I didn't intend for this entry to be a plug for anything, but there it is! Get me going and I can't stop! I like spreading the word about things that give me joy, even if it is to only one or two people. I'm not saying that my cup of tea will be everyone's, but it can't hurt to throw a little love out there into the universe, right?