This working for a living is…

really starting to get me ticked off.

It is 1:54 p.m. and I am in my cube, working, while eating my soup lunch.

They have me so busy in this law office.....there is no time today (deep sigh) for a snippet blog entry.

Next week....with this filing off to the court....hopefully there will be no interruption to my blogging life.

causing me strife

“I will take that as a compliment!”

The owner of Perry’s Deli said after I asked how I could order lunch for a group of experts that have taken up temporary residence in our office, without having to wait in their always-out-the-door lunch line.

Perry’s is the closest thing to a New York Deli that we have in Chicago. The turkey, roast beef and brisket used on their sandwiches is all roasted on site. And these sandwiches are huge - “as big as your head” huge.

The place is old school, delicious (hence the long lines) and a little quirky.

Quirky as in you are NOT allowed to talk on your cell phone once you venture into the deli.

You will first be asked to stop using it via a bellow from the owner over the behind-the-counter microphone.

If you refuse, you will be told to leave.

If you do not leave...there will be police involvement.

This tradition was started by the original owner, known only as Perry, the Deli Guy, and the Deli Guy, like the Soup Nazi made famous on Seinfield – did what he wanted. Right down to kicking you out for supporting the Imperial Cellular One.

So if you ever find yourself in Chicago, hungry and with a couple of extra minutes to wait in the line...you would be wise to venture over to Perry’s on North Franklin Street for a sandwich.

But be forewarned.....leave even the thought of using your cell phone out on the street.

it can’t be beat

“I love this weather!”

was my commuter buddy’s snippet as we headed out of Union Station this morning.

“Sure, if it is OCTOBER!” was my response.

Yesterday Chicago was blessed with 82 degree, sunshiny-Memorial-Day-horsing-around-weather.

So last night it wasn’t unusual that the temperature on the first floor of my house was 81 degrees, with my attic bedroom registering even higher.

As I do not enjoy sleeping in an overly warm room – I placed a box fan in my window and turned it on high. It didn’t take long before my room cooled down to a comfortable temperature and that, combined with the white noise of the fan, put me fast asleep.

Until about 3:33 a.m.

I was informed this morning that a rare meteorological phenomena, which is typically observed along the Western Lake Michigan shoreline during the warm season, called a PNEUMONIA Front, came thru last night.

The temperature went from the 80’s to the 40’s with a wind chill of 39 degrees due in part to the 18+ mph wind gusts.

A Pneumonia Front went thru all right....it went thru my bedroom and I expect to have full blown pneumonia after spending hours shivering under my light summer blankets until my nearly numbed mind went into survival mode and shocked me awake.

this weather, I can’t take

"I love that smell!"

one of the men walking into The Blommer Chocolate Co. in front of me said to his buddy.

In case you aren't familiar with Blommer, it is a chocolate company headquartered about 4 blocks from my office. At street level they have a small retail shop where they sell straight-up chocolate and a lot of other goodies that they buy back from customers who use their raw chocolates.

You can walk in and easily drop $30+ on all sorts of sweet stuff. I try not to go there very often, but today, in preparation for the weekend road trip to Galena, Illinois - I went for a couple of things - dark chocolate covered orange peels to keep my Momma happy; huge dark chocolate covered malted milk balls for others in the vehicle....okay, I might be an "others", and last, but not least, dark chocolate non-pariels.....hmmm....I am seeing a theme here....

I not only love their chocolate, but I also love Sophia and Anna, the two Polish women that have worked in the retail store for as long as I have been going there.

There is something else about Blommer that I love almost as much as their chocolates and it is certainly less damaging to my usually-too-tight-to begin-with-jeans....

I love the smell.

The deep aroma of melting chocolate that permeates the EPA-demanded filters and fills the City air.

That smell has gotten me thru many Chicago winters - trudging along on my mile walk to and from Union Station. The thick smell is reminiscent of the homemade hot cocoa that my Momma had waiting for me after a long cold walk home from school.

And in the summer….nothing says “Welcome to a Chicago Summer!” like the smell of a hot fudge sundae wafting all around you.

Did I mention “I love it?”

So the next time you are in the City…venture over to see Sophia and Anna at Blommer and you might want to tell them that Susan sent you……

It could snag you a free sample or two. And, I know you don’t even need to ask, but just in case you didn’t fully understand – dark chocolate would be my preference.

for reference

Wednesday's Posting - Number 2

I am excited to say that thanks to my blogger friend, Crusty Beef, who turned me on to the Six Sentences blog, I have had my first piece "published" today.

and i'm gay

Chicago is a Bloomin'

There are a couple things that our Mayor does correctly:

1. He makes sure that our City is clean; and

2. He spends a ton of our money on beautifying the City with flowers.

As I walked here this morning I witnessed many landscape workers filling up the ornamental planters with plants of spectacular color. All during the Chicago summer (if it ever arrives) our senses are treated by these beautiful displays.

So, if you get the chance, come on over and take a peek.....

You might want to stay for more than a week!

i’m a Chicago geek

"If I could have only been a fly on the wall..."

is a lunchtime snippet. I snagged it on my way thru the Merchandise Mart compliments of a woman talking with a female friend.

I spent most of my walk thinking of how I would finish that snippet and arrived back at the office with nothing - at least not an answer that would settle well within me.

So, I am now seeking your advice.

be nice

"Is it Herman?"

I asked my office building’s substitute doorman that I had met only once before.

“No.”

“But it is a short name like that – Herman” I said putting my hands out in front of me about 6 inches apart and in a karate-chop-type-of-move hit the top of the security desk.

“Nope.”

“Okay – I give up, what is your name?”

“Melvin” he cheerfully stated.

Not much more for me to say.

ran away

"I am studying fashion design..."

that snippet comes from a young twenty-something fashionista that I passed this morning.

I have been reading more than ever about Chicago's "up and coming" fashion scene.

Hard to believe that Americans outside of New York City could actually have some fashion talent.

You can keep current on Chicago's fashion scene by going to www.chicagofashionresource.com/.

Also check out one of our newest, young, hip designers, Kristin Hassan, at http://www.organikrevolution.com/ and give her your support.

By acknowledging these young creative designers and the fashion movement here in Chicago....who knows what could happen...maybe some time in the not too distant future we could hear "Fashion and Chicago" in the same breath when those "in the know" are discussing fashion...instead of "Fashion - New York City."

Us Midwesterners know that we can beat those East Coasters any day of the week.

we are hearty and they are meek

Briefcases on Wheels

When exiting a commuter train at Union Station everyone is funneled onto a platform as you make your way into the main station and it is crowded beyond belief.

I, like most, look straight ahead while walking in the masses. Traditionally I don’t look at the ground and certainly I don’t look for something being dragged behind someone.

Until now.

It is the new "in" thing to have your briefcase on wheels and pull it behind you. And I don't like it.

“Now, Susan, those people probably have bad backs and can’t carry their briefcases!”

Okay, being a “bad backer” at times myself, I am willing to have sympathy towards a very small percentage of the people that are pullers of the carts. But what is the deal with the rest of the pullers?

Personally I think that there is a communist plot underway whereas "commies" are trying to kill/permanently maim or injure the general-non-commie-walking-public with their carts.

doesn't take smarts

Head Cold....Sore Throat....

and just overall feeling crummy....thanks to my daughter, and carrier of this crude from last week, Anna.

I love that girl....and it is nice, at times, to get gifts...but this one...she could of kept.

It is after 3:00 p.m. and I am still in my pink striped fuzzy robe...a comfort for me, my wubbie of sorts.

Anna is home from school and is creating in the kitchen a late lunch for me and an early dinner for herself...before heading off to her job. I finally have an appetite and I am just now getting a hint of a smell of what she is cooking thru these clogged nostrils...and it smells good.

Gotta go.....I like my food hot.

snot

“Those legs defy his body!”

I remarked as I passed a guy whose Corgi decided to stop in the middle of the sidewalk.

"How old is he?" I asked.

"16 weeks" he replied.

Although I find full grown Corgi's pretty odd looking - at 16 weeks they are adorable!

And what a great attractor of women - take a dog out for a walk.

You don’t own a dog?

Well then borrow one.

could be fun

"You are either one...or the other."

I heard him say to his buddy as I zoomed past this morning. Yes, it is possible that they were discussing the upcoming elections.....

But being in Chicago - it is more than likely he was talking about an allegiance to either the Cubs or the Sox.

North side or south side - a rivalry that has been running since the early 1900's when Charles Comiskey moved his Saint Paul Saints minor league franchise to Chicago - which made the Cubs' owner at the time...a very unhappy camper.

So loyalty to a team has been passed down thru generations...becoming to some akin to their family crest......

you either wear Cubby blue and red....

or you wear Sox black and white...

As for me.....my family crest and my blood are true blue.

You?

Celebrate…..

Good Times - Come On!!

It is Vicky Lee’s birthday today....

So, Vic, - here’s to you, my big Sissy – Happy Birthday!!

I am sending Birthday wishes and my Love to you.

Yahoo!

"May showers bring....

June flowers???"....or something like that!

A very wet Chicago greeted me when I departed Union Station this morning.

While standing at the light to the north of the Civic Opera House, about 10 feet back from the curb, waiting for it to change, a woman walked past and stood at the curb....right at the curb.

Sorry, I couldn’t help but watch as that first cab went flying by, hitting the giant curbside puddle....and to her SURPRISE covered her nice-light-spring-colored pants with street-mucked-water - they were soaked!

my giggles – I choked.

T.D.S.

otherwise known as "Today's Dumb Snippet"....brought to you by a woman walking behind me who said and I quote:

"I hate these stupid pants - when I wear heels they are fine - but when I wear flats they drag on the ground!"

profound

"Why do you think that is?"

my Nigerian train friend asked me this morning. She was talking about what she and her husband have witnessed - the decline of our American youth. And, as usual, she wasn't talking about EVERY young person out there, although it does appear to be a large number and that number is growing.

"It is multi-layered and my mind doesn't always think that way. So, my gut answer would be a crumbling of the family structure. The exact thing that my father and grandfather would talk about at our kitchen table in the late 60's - early 70's - except they identified the culprit as 'Communists'." I replied and furthered with...

“Left-winged or Right-winged or anywhere in the middle – I believe it comes down to the basics. If there was a candidate running for President that talked about the need to get back to the basics of life – discipline, respect of family, and a good work ethic, to name just a few – I would be first in line to vote for him/her.”

As we were parting ways, I said “I need to have you and your husband over for dinner some time soon.”

“Yes, we would like that. Could I bring my mother too?” she responded.

“Of course, I would be honored to have her over also.” I told her.

What a great testimony to her generational family respect.

You must admit – how often when asked to dinner at a friend’s house – do we follow with the question “Could I bring my mother too?”

Never for me.

You?

"Will you take a quarter for this?"

"Does this work?"

"I use to have this when I was a kid!"

"How much are the clothes?"

"Can you break a $100?"

I am home dealing with my garage sale...so I thought I would share some garage sale snippets overheard.

And after three weeks of working like mad in my "spare" time getting ready for this extravaganza, getting up this morning at the crack of dawn to start hauling "merchandise" out, then hauling it back in during the rain storm and hauling it back out again after the rain passed.....I am too tired to comment on these snippets other than to say....if I only had $100 bills...I certainly wouldn't be at a garage sale!!

hispanic male

“My wife says….

I am a creature of habit.” is this beautiful spring Chicago morning’s snippet.

Now Susan....with your hearing loss and all..are you sure he didn’t say “My wife says I am a creature – like a HOBBIT?”

Well, I guess anything is possible and I didn’t turn to see what he looked like...but for the sake of today’s blog – I am going to go with habit.

Aren’t we all creatures of habit?

I know I have my “routines” and if I, at times, vary from some of my important ones – I feel.....uncomfortable.

For instance - I get Dunkin Donut’s coffee every morning – a large, cream only. It is how I start my day. This morning, in an attempt to make my regular train, I was unable to stop for my daily DD.

Did I survive?

Yup – but I didn’t like it.

I find if I keep to certain routines/habits – it helps me stay, on some level, mentally aligned.

for the daily grind