Alan’s Neighborhood

England:

I got this checklist offline. I modified it to meet my non-traditional needs. I don't like too much tradition.

Bridal Party
Bridal Party Gifts
Dresses
Flower Girl Basket
Wedding Gown (narrowed down to four!)
Garter
Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue
Make-up & Hair
Groomsmen
Groomsmen Gifts
Tuxedos
Ring Bearer Pillow
Wedding Bands

Venue
Room for the night ;)
Lingerie for the night
Food
Cake
Photographer
Videographer
Floral Design
Floral Stock
Music
Bubbles/Birdseed

Guest List
Invitation Design
Invitations
Thank You cards
Place Cards
Center Pieces
Guest Book, Pen
Toasting Glasses
Cake Knife & Server

The American wedding's checklist has even less ticked off. We have a long way to go. Especially because we can't afford this. Great.

Soooooo, as the title implies,  I am in love with the new TBS sitcom, My Boys. It's about this chic, PJ, who basically has mostly guy friends. (Sound familiar?) She is also a huge Cubbie fan. (Sound familiar?) She covers their games for the Chicago Suntimes. That makes her a journalist. (Sound familiar?)  She's also ridiculously awkward around dudes. She also ends up using a more male viewpoint on relationships and argressiveness, which sometimes freaks guys out. (Sound familiar?)

I could not love the show anymore. It's the perfect mix of comedy and drama, but not annoying and unbelievable drama. Which, in my mind, is perfect. I can already predict what the season has in store, but I don't want to describe it, just in case I'm wrong!

Unfortunately I can't watch it next week!!!! I'm so bummed out. Somebody tape it? TiVo? Love me? It's been a long time that a NEW show made me this ready to watch tv. Especially a sitcom. If my praises haven't gotten you interested perhaps I will take a different angle. It has elements of Friends, Sex and the City and sports lingo used in metaphor for life and dating. I wish it was on Network tv. It would be able to compete with some of the crap they have running now.

Okay, this is what I do when I dont sleep. I randomly review stuff I love or hate. How boring am I? Seriously! So boring. And soundly slightly hyper or manic tonight. I guess the crunch before finals will do that to ya. Oh Illinois State University, how I love you! Speaking of, our Redbirds are in game two of the playoffs. They are flying to Ohio to play Youngstown State. This can be good, or it can be bad. Last time we played them we lost 27/13 on Family Day. I hope we win though! We have had a kick ass season and it would be wonderful to end it on a high note!!!

In other ISU sports news, our Lady Redbirds basketball team is kicking major ass again this season. They are up 4 wins to 2 losses. Our womens basketball is so good. Last year was proof! Our men's basketball team is 4:2 as well, but the website hasnt posted tonights score against Sacramento State. I'm not as up to date as I should be. Alas, I can only do so much!

Alright, it's 2am. I think I'm going to get in bed and force myself into sleep. Good luck me. Good luck.

Yesterday was a very productive day. I went to the mall with both maids of honor and a bridesmaid. I'm a bridesmid in my bridesmaid's wedding. Anyway I bought my and his wedding bands. Then we went to David's Bridal and I tried on a dress for Hoover's wedding and they all tried on the dresses for my wedding. Originally the color was purple, but now we are doing Emerald green. It's beautiful. Caitlyn and Shannon are both getting satin dresses since they are the honors. They look like models. I'm very much back on my diet now. Thanksgiving is officially over. Time to get down to business.

Anywho, then last night was also the HF class of '03 reunion bar crawl. It was a little piece of amazing. I can't wait until someone posts pictures. They are going to be hilarious. Let's put it this way, I remember only bits and pieces by the end. I made it home by 5am and walked from Flossmoor to Homewood along Dixie highway where there was no sidewalk. I know... oops.

So yeah. Tonight I think I'm going to meet Doug and his girlfriend Megan at a bar or something. I dont know. I'm still hung over from last night. Not cool. I can't believe it's already time to go back to school tomorrow. That makes me sad. At least there are only three weeks until the semester is over... then I get to fly to England to see my baby!!!! I miss Christy so much. Love is great thing. njg <3's cmp

Sooooo where to begin. I went to Washington DC last weekend with the Delta Eta chapter of Phi Sigma Pi. We're a coed honors fraternity. There were 14 of us in 3 cars. Ouch. 13 hour drive... good thing I was one of the drivers. Anyway, nobody has gotten around to sending the pics out, once that happens I will go into more detail of the hilarity that ensued.

Wednesday my dad and I went to the British Consulate in Chi-town to get my settlement Visa. The consulate is in the beautiful Wrigley Building on Michigan Ave. The actual suite was teeny tiny and cramped as hell. It was fun though because two of the secruity suits were ISU alumn. We talked about tomorrows playoff game against the Panthers. We're going to smoke them. Anyway, after a few hours I had my Visa. It's official, I get to marry the one peron in the world who makes me happiest.

Lovelovelove

Anyway, that was great. We had lunch with my Mom. The law firm she works at is in the Civic Opera Building, another gorgeous Chicago landmark. We watched the Trump building going up. It's going to rival the Sears Tower. I thought it would be tacky looking, but so far it's stunning. I think it will be a positive addition to the skyline. Chicago is truely one of a kind.

Sooo yeah, yesterday was Thanksgiving...my favorite holiday. I definately gained 3.5 pounds since yesterday. Anyway, yesterday was bittersweet. Let's put it this way, my sister is my extended familys favorite person. Ive grown up being second best to my relatives and them not caring if they said it (in so many words) right in front of me. Anyway, this year they didn't make me cry, so that's good. However, even though mentally being around certain relatives is hard, it doesnt ruin the holiday for me. It's still my favorite. During the last toast before we ate, I realized that this was my last Thanksgiving for a few years at least. I choked back the tears and I dont think anybody noticed. I know that this time next year I will be in england with Chris and I will be loving it, but I am also dreading TG coming. I wonder if I will get depressed or if I'll be distracted enough from married life. Married life. They say the first year is the hardest. I hope I don't screw everything up.

I should hop in the shower. I'm going shopping with my girls for wedding stuff and then we're seeing Happy Feet. Tonight should be hilariousness embodied. It's my high schools graduating class of '03's reunion bar crawl. Only about one 6th of our class will be there (100 or so people) but we will end up shutting down all of downtown Homewood. Thank goodness I live within walking distance. It's going to be awesome. :) Plus I get to see Caitlyn!!! She's the other love of my life. We plan on living in the same retirement home someday.

Quotes from this week:

Rick: I'm going to give you a mushroom stamp if you don't shut up.
Nicki: I'm going to give you the claw to enduce anal tearing.
Rick: No matter what anyone says, you always take it one step too far.
Nicki: How was that any worse than what you said?!
Rick: That was the line, and that was you crossing it!
Nicki: Are you afraid of the words anal tearing?
Rick: Stop! Stop now!

Rick: So I was knees deep in this chic the other night, which of course enduced anal tearing.
Nicki: ... Awesome.

Kathie (on the drive north): OH MY GOD KAMIKAZE BIRDS!!!
Nicki: Relax Kathie! Was that your first experience with ninja black birds?

Nicki (text message to Dee): It's just hitting me, it's my last TG for a few years. :-(
Dee (text message to me): Eat lots of turkey then. We'll think of you next year when we celebrate the slaughter of our native people.

Shannon (my sister): Yes, Maine is beautiful, the coast, mountains... I want to relocate there soon.
Uncle Jim: Yeah, it's much better than the flat landscape of England.
Nicki: Yeah, but at least we'll have castles.

What were you afraid of as a child that seems silly to you now?
Submitted by navelgazer.

I was a very skittish child in the sense that almost everything scared me.  The one that makes me feel unending shame these days is  Large Marge from Pee Wee's Big Adventure.  When that psychotic trucker bitch's face would open up i would run screaming to the sanctity of the space behind the couch.  Because as you know: Nothing evil can pentrate the impervious couch.

This is a rarity. I have 8 minutes to spare before I have to walk out the door to get to my office hours. I don't know what to do with myself! I guess I can start by saying that I'm a little depressed that I won't get to talk to my fiancé very much until Monday. Today is busy as hell and tomorrow I leave for Washington D.C.. That should be... interesting. We'll have to wait and see. I'm hoping my phone doesn't crap out on me and cuts my internet access. I would be very livid in that case.

In other news, I hate James Bond movies. If you know me, you'll automatically understand why. However, I think I actually want to see the new one. I'm sure I'll see it just so I know what everyone is talking about. And also because the action looks wicked!

In an unrelated incident, last night was the last Indie Rock Show of the semester. I shall miss it for the next 12 weeks. It was an amazingly awesome show. We really did do a bang up job. I'll have to make a collection of some of our stop sets and the interview with the band, Headlights, we did. That interview in itself was  a great experience. Another cool thing is they want to tour in the UK, so maybe they'll be there when I move and I won't be so lonely for Illinois!

Okay, time to get going now. Here is my shit schedule for today:

9-10 office hour

10-1 on-air www.wznd.com (Franki)

1-2 office hour

2-3 class

3-4:15 class

4:15-5 cramming for an exam

5-6 exam

6:30-7 my staff meeting

8:30 - ? e-council

At least this isnt the usual 13 hour day. Hooray for that. Okay, later gators!

How do you eat your pizza:  folded, flat or with a fork and knife?
Submitted by danimass.

Oooh! That depends! If it's Chicago Style pan I would definately need a fork and knife. Chi-town has the best pizza in the verse. If I'm eating big, triangle New York slices then it's folded all the way. Everything thing else is flat and with my hands!!!! Great question. Hooray for pizza!

What's your favorite radio station, past or present?

WZND of course! www.wznd.com It may or may not be because I dj and work there, but it is! So listen to me, Franki, from anywhere in the world! Central time Tuesdays from 7-10pm for the Indie Rock Show & Wednesdays 10am-1pm for all Franki and good alternative rock.

So yeah. Not quite sure what to do yet. I'll load more stuff later. Hi Alan!  The end.

What would the title of your autobiography be?
Submitted by princesskasren.

Fake Flowers and Silk Words