Chicago Gay Pride Parade - 2007

Chicago Gay Pride Parade - 2007. My first year in all my 5 years in Chicago attending the parade and I got to dance on a float! The festivities were really fun, the outfits wild, and everyone had a bumpin' stereo. Aside from the fabulous drag queens and tough roller derby girls, there were also many church groups and health groups that had floats and supporters in the parade. It was fun and inspiring to be a part of a celebration for a community that doesn't always get support. When I was dancin' on the float, I thought of my family members and friends that are gay, and I was proud to be part of this message - equal rights for all and God loves everyone.

Pitbull With Lipgloss

We hit the ground running when we arrived in Chapel Hill on Thursday morning. The goal was to find an apartment within the following day and a half and I will tell you, dear readers, that the goal was well met! Though not without stress.

First we hit up a couple of giant apartment complexes. They ranged from cheap to really expensive - $425 to $699 for a one bedroom - but all complexes included an outdoor pool which shocked this Chicago girl. They were shabby to really nice, but after seeing a few, I knew it wasn't my ideal. We were hanging out for a break by the co-op grocery in the area, using the free Internet, when I decided to call the co-op affiliated realty company. It turned out that they didn't rent apartments, except for one guy, "Don" who had some of his own units for rent. He invited us to his office (dog friendly, of course) where he used his special realtor's code to look up some apartment listings, and then used his knowledge to screen one bedroom apartments in my price range. He showed us his place for rent (in a basement though, not my thing) and told us about the fun coffee bars, pubs, and an "underground" "smoke shop" whose hours were set by when the owner's car was parked in the back. Uh-huh. It was great, just what I was hoping to find, and he was very kind to spend the time.

He also told us where to find local BBQ, Mama Dip's or Allen and Son, and about one of the big rental companies, of which he described the owner as a "pitbull with lipgloss." Don's list of apartments also led us to my final pick. It is a cute two bedroom on the second floor of a house, has free laundry and parking, and is really close to the campus and downtown. I left happy and relieved that I found a good place to live. for (I hope) the next two years.

Ocean Picture - Ahhh!

We had gorgeous weather - hot and sunny most days but with a lovely strong breeze. It was rainy at the beach yesterday but the menacing puffy clouds made for inspiring photos!

The Beach House Where We Stayed

Oak Island Shrimp Dish

Here's a photo of what we made with our Oak Island local shrimp. We used a shrimp boil made by "Clem's," the local seafood business where we bought our shrimp. We sauteed onions, red pepper, spinach, and chives. We also bought some lump crab cakes, not local but totally delicious. We tried to eat out one night and ate at a nasty fried placed called "Jones' Seafood." No matter what we tried to get, even ordering from the more expensive 'broiled' menu, everything came out fried. I ordered "deviled crab cakes" that the waitress described as being seerved "on a plate." Those things were breaded and fried, just like the "shrimp." They also came with a side of hush puppies that were pretty good until we realized that the yummy "dipping sauce" was actually just pure butter with some cinnamon. Good for a few bites but overall, we were better with what we cooked ourselves.

"Beached"

I am posting from a library in Oak Island, NC. I've been 'beached' here for two days, going on three! We drove and drove and drove, and stopped a night in Asheville, NC, which really was lovely. Aside from spending so many hours in the car, it was a pretty drive. It has been so nice to relax in front of the ocean, swim in warm waters, and boil up some fresh local shrimp in pasta and veggies.

I've come to the library to do some apartment research and make some appointments for my pending visit to Chapel Hill. I'm sure to find something, and I hope it will be something good at least for one year. Best case scenario, it will be two.

Watch That Hemline, Wear That Sack

I have to attend a black-tie gala fundraiser for work this week. It is our second fundraiser of this sort and a few of my coworkers are notorious for showing some extreme cleavage at such events. Many of the ladies I work with are well endowed in that way, and so when they show off their *assets* it is very, ahem, noticeable. Here is an excerpt of an email the staff received regarding this issue:

It is important for the staff to err on the conservative side for the event. Specifically that means watch how much skin is showing. Short skirts or a revealing neckline might be fun for a private party but are not considered professional attire in the office or at events.

Overall, I don't have an issue with the message. However, it does strike me as rather hilarious because we have been told several additional rules for our behavior (i.e. don't have more than 1 drink, don't socialize during the event, you are here to work, you must lift this box, you only have 15 minutes to get ready), which end up being really prudish and taking away any possible enjoyment that the staff may have hoped to experience.

Regarding the attire, another coworker said, "Pretend you are attending a Mormon wedding - high necklines and low hemlines." Seriously? I better wash my turtleneck burlap sack for this event. Either that, or I'm expecting a wardrobe stipend to find the appropriate mother-in-law wedding outfit (long flowy skirt and bejeweled blazer with sensible shoes.) Perhaps the idea is that the scrubby-ass-looking staff will sucker the contributors to spend more money? Poor taste, I say - if I were a millionaire I would feel much more obliged to contribute to a hard-working staff who look totally glamorous while doing it. So, about that wardrobe budget...?

I'd Really Appreciate It If

I just discovered the joys of this hilarious website.
It is all about passive-aggressive notes from neighbors, strangers, roommates, etc. There is even a section about the office fridge. Sound familiar?

Enjoy!