Tuesday August 5, 2014. Pretty standard day, I watched the Phantom Menace. The worst Star Wars by a long shot. Very little action, poor acting at time, & of course, Jar Jar Binks. Yikes.
On Wednesday the 6th of August I started my morning with a workout. Then headed over to the dentist to get my third crown. This time not gold, so my net worth unfortunately did not go up. Later in the afternoon I headed to work. On my drive I saw spidey was having a joyous day, but was looking a bit thin. I hadn't seen him catch any bugs lately to eat, and quite honestly, I am not sure if he had eaten in a long while. As I began to pick up speed, I realized that spidey was desperate. He must be starving. He had strung a web from his usual side mirror spot, to about half way down my door, enlarging his catch area. He decided to travel a ways down the new web he strung, and I began to pick up speed on the road. I instantly knew this was trouble. That was when he broke off from his large web, and was just hanging on by a thread. He flew through the air, going up and down, up and down, still grasping to his one strand of web. Spidey was flying through the air, and I couldn't keep my eyes off of his body. I just stared at him, thinking, if I slow down now, I will hold up traffic, but the spider I have come to know the last 3 weeks will be safe. Then it was too late. Spidey took flight and was gone. Never to be seen or heard of again. This was by far the saddest day of summer.
Later than night I had a meeting with a lax team, potentially doing some HS coaching this spring. Interesting.... and I watched Episode 2: Attack of the Clones. A movie that was about 100 times better than the Phantom Menace, but still not as good as the original 3 films.
Thursday August 7th was a simple work day, that ended with me playing in the final men's league game of the summer. A good turnout and some quality lax, but I was eager to see Rachel, so I left a bit early and drove straight to Chicago for the night. Rachel and I were both pretty tired so we called it a night shortly after I arrived around 10:45pm.
On Friday August 8th, I was to have my own day in the city of Chicago. Rachel had to unfortunately work, so I started my morning by watching a French foreign film titled The Intouchables and highly recommend it to everyone. The basis of the film is an underprivileged man is applying to jobs just to get some type of paper signed that says he applied. He applies to help take care of a paralyzed man, not even wanting the job, and ends up getting it. The rest of the movie is the building of a great relationship between these 2 men. Great heart felt film. Afterwards I got a little workout in while watching the first hour of 2001: A Space Odyssey, a Stanley Kubrick film that is very very odd. Around 11am I put on my hiking boots, grabbed my camera, and headed out on a 2.6 mile adventure to the heart of the city to meet Rachel for lunch. On my walk over, I took some decent photos and felt like I was back in Europe, photographing any cool looking building or statue. Great memories there. Right before crossing the Chicago River I heard someone call out, "Maluta?" I looked up and there was a friend from college, Napier (pronounced Naper). I had not seen this gentlemen in probably at least 3 years, and found out that he is living in the city and working downtown. What a small world, and good to catch up for a minute. I met Rachel outside her building and we walked over to Millennium Park to have lunch. She snagged some dipping sauces from the lunch room that we enjoyed with some pasta from the night before. We walked around the area and rested in the shade of some trees, enjoying our time together. After about 50 minutes she had to head back and I walked her back and then journeyed the 2.6 miles home, snapping more photos along the way.
After watching another hour of 2001: A Space Odyssey, Rachel's brother and mom arrived and I chatted with them for a bit. Then we took a cab to Howl at the Moon, a dueling piano bar in downtown that I had actually passed on my walk home. We got there pretty early, so we got into the bar and had plenty of choices on where to sit. We were meeting her cousin Amanda there for a party she had won. Luckily, the party and happy hour came with a free buffet and 2 $1 dollar drinks. I ended up enjoying multiple trips to the buffet appetizer line and dined on pulled pork sandwiches, diced up fruit, and some spicy mac & cheese. Although I am pretty sure that spicy mac ended up giving me a little tummy ache that stuck with me the whole night. Rachel eventually got off of work and came over for the party around 6pm.
The Howl at the Moon Bar was super cool and a great atmosphere. All of the musicians who rotated between instruments were super talented, playing guitar, drums, fiddle, singing, and of course piano. The best part of the night by far was when one of the girl musicians busted out the rap / song Look at Me Now by Chris Brown. Here is a video of the now famous girl, Karmin, singing it. I think the girl at Howl at the Moon did an even better job! It was sick! Oh and Rachel she needs to learn this, and I can't wait for it to happen! I would love to see her rap this just like Gambino, and I know she can! When Happy Hour ended around 9pm, we stayed and chatted with another cousin of Rachel's for a bit, then took a cab home with her mom & brother. Once home, I loaded up 2001: A Space Odyseey and watched the last 45 minutes, which was basically just one big trip, and the movie ended. Very strange movie, not sure how I felt about it, but I guess it was pretty great for the 1960s, making it one of the greatest Sci-Fi movies ever. Although I am pretty sure you have to be baked to enjoy it.
Musicians playing at the dueling piano bar, Howl at the Moon
Just like that it was the morning of Saturday August 9th and I was headed back to Naperville to work. After work, I got home and watched the final Star Wars movie, Revenge of the Sith with Beth. This was by far the best movie of the new 3, and ranks pretty close with the original 3. There was so much action, and I loved the character transitions. Anakin becomes Vader and other characters change as well. Great movie!
Afterwards I headed to Manhattan to attend a party at my cousin John's. It was also my first time at his new place, which he has already been at for 2 years. I need to be a better cousin! I had probably 2 or 3 plates of delicious food, from Italian beef to chicken to beans. The party was nice and I was able to pick up a bunch of camping gear from my Uncle John as well. I got a ton of stuff from him and also a ton of knowledge over the past few weeks, so I thank him and my Aunt Chris greatly for all of that! I decided to leave the party after a few hours and headed the short 5 miles down the road to Rachel's, where steak fajitas were being made for dinner. They were delicious, and we were both very tired, so called it an early night again. Are we getting old or what? Going to bed earlier on the weekends... ahh.
On Sunday August 10th I headed home after hanging out for a bit, then cleaned my car inside and out. Mid clean, I decided to buzz my head down to 1/8 of an inch. Just like the old days in grade/middle school. Washing the outside and completely cleaning the inside as well. It was then that I discovered after having this car for 3 years, that there are sweet hidden compartments in my trunk. Check it out. Amazing.
I spent the rest of the day getting excited for my trip coming up, and packed and ordered some more equipment online.
Monday August 11th started with a workout, a trip to the bank, and then a stop at Dicks Sporting Goods, where I ended up purchasing 3 outdoor mess kits, as well as 2 pairs of running shorts. The running shorts are amazingly light, rest above the knee, shoutout to John who bought a pair the week before, and even have mesh inside so I don't have to wear underwear. I bought one blue nike pair and one orange Under Armour pair, both seem amazing. I think it is funny that I am starting to enjoy all of these things that I felt I used to make fun of when I was younger.... Camping, hiking boots, wool socks, short shorts, and the list goes on. Your interests and tastes surely change as you get older. Wow.
Before
After
The packing and compactness of mess kits still impress me. Just take a look above at how much fits into 3 little pots initially. I had soup for dinner in preparation for Colorado, aka there was nothing else to eat, and I ended the night with an ice cream cone and watching the movie Vertigo. An amazing Alfred Hitchcock movie. Perhaps his best. 5/5 for sure. I highly suggest watching this as well.
Also RIP Robin Williams, shouldn't have gone out the way he did, but he was a great actor and comedian. Will surely watch many of his films in the near future.
That is all for this week. I won't be blogging next week as I will be a mile high in Rocky Mountain National Park. Look forward to hearing about potentially 3 concerts and a week of camping in Rocky Mountain and Colorado Springs. The future holds climbing mountains, cutting down stuff with a machete and chopping wood with an ax.
Enjoy the weeks!
Josh