Welcome to the family

Our newest addition:

Loyola's Information Commons

Here's where I study. Well, usually. I did, anyways. This is the newest building on the Lake Shore Campus of Loyola. It is four stories of study space. You won't find any books in this building, just computers. And laptops. And more computers. I took this picture after one of my last summer study days. Since then, we've moved about seven miles north to Evanston. This makes my commute a bit farther (by train instead of foot). This means I'll probably study elsewhere now, perhaps at the Northwestern Library (which looks so old school in comparison).

Harold Washington Library

This library is big. Really. At one point, it used to be the biggest library in the world, but now it's just the biggest library I've ever been to. It has four or five or six floors and about every book anyone could ever want. It's nice to have a library card in Chicago, especially when my home library doesn't have something. I just hop on the red line, get off, and walk across the street.

Chicago Bridges

I think I can see four bridges in this picture. That's four of about thirty or so bridges just near the loop. There is also a lot of history involved with the bridges as this page illustrates. When you get there, scroll down to 2004 on the timeline, and you'll find a bit of ick. Here's the lawsuit to prove that it happened. I wonder what the outcome was.

Chicago Pub

Ok, so here's a place I'll go if I want to get a seriously old world experience. The pub looks a little out of place, but it might be just what you need if you want to feel like you've gone back in time. Check out their webpage, and you'll see the atmosphere oozing out of the walls.

Mirror Image

Here's another picture taken by chance with interesting results. I was just hoping to get a good reflection of the train but also happened to snap the Chicago Sun-Times building in the process.

Sears Tower from the Train

I only frequent the Red Line El Train. Except the other day when I took the Brown Line to my meeting then got back on at the same train stop and realized the Brown Line only went one way, so I got on the Pink Line instead. Once the train started moving, I realized I was on the wrong train, so I had to get off at the next stop and walk over to the other platform to catch the Green Line back to the Red Line. Man alive. Confusing, but I figured it out. Even so, I wouldn't have been able to take this picture if it weren't for my mistake.

My Video Awards

My awards will be a bit biased...and our first winner is:



Of course she wins in best performance by a two-year-old. But there are a couple other videos that I'd like to honor today. First, for best parody of a video game platform; and the winner is: The Wii Video. Second, getting the award for most rapid evocation of tears; and the winner is: Team Hoyt. And finally, for most inspirational speech by an individual under the age of three months; and the winner is:

Downtown Chicago

Over the next few days, I'll be posting a few images from another trip downtown - this time only for a morning meeting. (I was more a local than a tourist this time.) This one was shot from the hip, but I like the (here comes a 99 cent word) juxtaposition of the buildings.

Sailing in Chicago

The other day, we were bumming around the house when, just like that, some sailboats sailed right past our window. For some reason, the sailboats seemed huge. When I went out to photograph them, my camera shrunk them to toys. Even so, this picture still shows how many boats there were out there on Lake Michigan. It's amazing how many boats the horizon can hold. I've counted over 100 on a nice day (scanning from the north in Evanston, where Northwestern has a sailing school, to downtown, where hundreds of boats magically appear at their yacht clubs in the Spring).

Internet Sports

I was at school working on lots of stuff (as you can see from the screen shot). The US Open playoff was streaming live online, and I couldn't keep away. I wasn't the only one.



Here are some comments from people watching the US Open playoff on their computers at work:

“If IT shuts this down, I will suddenly develop the 12 hour flu.” Justin, CA --- “The magnificence of this website is only eclipsed by the wonder of this live feed.” Timmy, IN --- “This is awesome! Thanks IBM and USGA for the feed. Watching on dual monitors :) Go Tiger!!” Michael, TX --- “Boss just walked in on me......he asked for the website address.” Obee, MD --- “Thanks USGA. I thought I was going to have to go home "sick" today.” Homer, AZ --- “I know I’m not the only one with my mouse over a fake spreadsheet document.” matt, MA --- “Love the raw feed with the pacific blue, misty La Jolla cliffs instead of commercials...nice!” Tim --- “The internet - man's greatest achievement.” Mark, AZ --- “The first time I have never had a case of the Mondays. Thanks USGA.” Matthew, FL --- “Thank you USGA, this is simply the best day of work I have ever had! juan, MA --- “Get to work Mr. Pierce, this is your BOSS!!!!!” David, NC --- “Thanks. Sent link to the boss and got a "That a boy"” Jason, WA --- “I haven't wasted this much time at work since Friday.” Bill, VA.

Have you ever heard such effusive praise for the Internet machine? Productivity, what? (All joking aside, it really was pretty amazing to watch online. During televised commercials, the camera cut away to a live feed of the California coast. And what a tournament to watch; Mediate was awesome, but Tiger…well.)

What's in your bag?

I'm not sure how I first ran accross these photos (probably from someone researching networked space and images or something). At any rate, there is a flikr group devoted to showing the world the contents of their bags. This group has over 10,000 members. Yes, 10,000. People from around the world spill out the contents of their bags and snap a photo. Some people are very organized in the presentation of their bric-a-brac. Others, not so much. When I got my new timbuk2 bag in the mail the other day, I thought I'd better snap a few pictures to show the world. I then searched the "What's in your bag?" group for timbuk2 bags, and wouldn't you know it? No one had a D.W. doll stuffed into an oatmeal box or fake keys in their bag. And no one had a sweet Elayna Mae in a bag either.





And one more thing...since my bag is technically a messenger bag, I couldn't help commenting on Chicago's crazy bike messengers (and bikers in general). The other day I was crossing the street downtown, when a bike messenger darted through oncoming traffic to cut a corner. I guess it must be thrilling to be on the edge like that, and this probably the reason these bike people were excited to get this law passed last year. It requires drivers to yield three feet to bikers. Three feet. And that's a victory.

US Open

Today marks the beginning of another US Open in golf. (I'm more of a US Open tennis fan, but oh well.) Anyhow, both tournaments, the one with clubs and the one with racquets, have been going for over 100 years. I wanted to mention it today because of its location in SoCal this year. Torrey Pines Golf Course is near San Diego and actually sits in La Jolla. (I went to school at Biola University in La Mirada, about ninety minutes or so north of San Diego.) When I was a freshman, we went down to La Jolla a few times (making the trip in about sixty minutes; oh, the idiocy of youth). We have a number of crazy stories and pictures to go with them; the stories I won't repeat and the pictures I can't find. Later, I took my future bride to a super-expensive dinner at George's At the Cove (I think we're still paying for it). At any rate, I guess I'm just reminiscing.

For all you golf geeks, you can keep track of the current leaders here. The current leaderboard says Rocco Mediate is ahead at 4 under, while Tiger is 1 under and Mickelson is 3 over. You can evn watch Tiger and Phil live online. That's a little bit eerie.

Crazy Midwest Weather

So we didn't die. We really didn't even notice the weather as we slept. When I walked Spencer the next morning, I did notice evidence of serious water and wind, but all the cars were still sitting on their tires. The people in Wisconsin who own these pieces of house weren't so fortunate. (Click the picture for the story.) We're gearing up for another couple days of storms; I guess I'll pack an umbrella. (Not that it helps when the real Chicago winds kicks in...)

Crazy Chicago Weather

We looked outside at 12:30, and the sun was shining. A couple minutes later, the skies opened up and it was raining like a pig. The rain stopped two minutes later. We then went to Ravinia for a Ralph's World concert and didn't get hit with anything. Now, we have a severe weather alert and a tornado warning. As you can see, I've been watching the radar, and it looks like the storm will be heading straight over our heads throughout the night. More to come...

Chicago Pizza

Have I said anything about Chicago pizza yet? If not, then here's my opinion: there's nothing else like it. Really. Our friends from CA said they have had "Chicago Pizza" from BJ's, but they agreed that it was only a cheap imitation of the real thing. (BJ's BBQ Chicken Pizza is worth the trip to CA, btw.) Here's what you're missing out on if you don't come to Chicago for pizza:



(I stole that picture from someone's flickr page.) And here's evidence of our trip to Giordano's last weekend. Elayna could be their new spokesperson - so cute and such a lover of cheese.

Playing Tourist

We had some friends visit from CA this last weekend, so I showed them around town. And even though I've lived here for almost two years, I still feel like a tourist. Here's the Chicago Theatre, GCDs, and a picture of the Wrigley Building (which is across from the Tribune Tower):




Here's Trump Tower and two pictures from the end of the CTA's 147 bus, which goes right by our block. (The Congress Hotel seems to be a historic place as well.)

Airport Trips

We've officially come out of hiding. Tonight we got the girls into our new double stroller and walked down the street for dinner. We're all medicated at the moment, however. The common cold knocked the Chicago Cheneys out this last week, but we're feeling a bit better. Since the last month has been new-baby hard, coupled with blah-sick ick, I'm going to try and document a few moments we might have forgotten about if it weren't for the camera.

In the first week, I went to Midway four times. A couple weeks later, I went to Ohare twice and Midway twice. Here are a few pictures from those various trips.

View from Lakeshore Drive


Midway = Southwest Airlines


Elayna Wearing Nana Cheryl's glasses


Elayna lounging in Grandpa Rick's suitcase

A New Season

As the weather finally changes here in Chicago (we've now had 4 or 5 warm days), we are entering into a new phase of life. We have two daughters (two!), and when we aren't in a daze, we can't believe we have two daughters. (Note to self: We have two daughters.) Also, we'll be moving to Evanston later this summer, moving a step away from big city life (even though we only live 5 minutes from Evanston right now).

Sisters

Spring did show up for about 24 hours (a week ago). We're hoping for a few more nice days like this before May, but the wind just won't quit. Of course, with a baby due any day, we won't exactly be out running, biking, or kayaking (like the two in this picture).

digital words

Did you know how cool the Internet is? It's really amazing! I can send letters to people electronically without paying for a stamp! It's like magic! And did you know I can surf the 'Net and see pictures of places other people took -- people I don't even know! I even heard someone talk about chatting online with people all the way across the world! I can't believe it. It's hocus pocus, but I'm SO addicted. (I go to sleep at about 4 a.m. every night.)

Do you remember being like this? Unfortunately, I do. But as advanced as technology is these days, there are still times when I think to myself, "self, this Internet thing is pretty awesome." [CAUTION: this is the point where you want to stop reading; my geekiness is about to ooze. I WARNED YOU.] So, I've told the story to my students many times. I try to wow them with my love for research by telling about when I was writing my masters thesis. I could be found in the JFK Library, pushing a cart full of books around like a transient with a shopping cart, searching for that final source, the final point that would bring my whole thesis together. (I'm not sure I ever found it...) That was only three years ago, all that pushing a cart full of books business. How old fashioned.

Now, in 2008, I get frustrated if I even have to get up out of my chair and leave my apartment. It used to be that a person could find academic articles online, but books had to be found, touched, checked out, and carried away in a bag. Nowadays, I get those "Wow Internet!" moments when I search for a topic online and find myself looking through the pages of a book. A real, live, hard cover, full-of-pages kind of book. Here's an example.

Say I'm writing a paper on The Yellow Wallpaper, and I need to find the part that mentioned a certain word, say "arabesque" (I know, random). I'll head to everyone's favorite page, Google Books and search for the full version of the book. There, I did it. Once I'm at the about page, I just type in the word "arabesque" and it tells me which page it's on. Now I know what I wanted to know, and it took just a click, click, click. You probably noticed that you can download the whole book in .pdf format too. (Only old books can be found in full versions, but newer books often have limited previews.) It's crazy, some people work full time thinking about how digital media like this will change print sources.

Suffice it to say, I'm spoiled. I don't even go to the library anymore. But when I'm on campus, I go to the Information Commons (a library without books). It's funny how I whine when I have to go to the library and check out an actual book, but I'm now happy to trudge through the Chicago wind to sit in a building with computers -- computers that help me find things I surely could have found at home, sitting in my recliner with the laptop on my lap.

Shades

Here's our current desktop. If you don't know what you're getting into, you better stay away 'cause this girl's got attitude!

Zoinks

Man, spring in Chicago is so darn beautiful.

March Moustache Madness

Adam Morrison. Does the name ring a bell? A few years ago, he was one of the two hottest players in the NCAA (the other being J.J. Reddick from Duke who now rides the bench for Orlando). Morrison plays for the Charlotte Bobcats now; well actually, he too rides the bench but only because he needs surgery. Anyhoo, this is not a sports blog, so enough about all that. Let's talk about his mustache! When we lived in Spokane we liked watching the Gonzaga Bulldogs play, and it was after about a year that we noticed that Morrison was getting really good -- and really ugly. He let his hair go shaggy...there's nothing wrong with that...unless of course, you add to it a patchy, post-pubescent, make-me-wanna-wet-the-corner-of-a-hankie-and-wipe-it-off kind of moustache. Don't believe me? I wish you would because you don't want to see these pictures.

And now for some pictures of the lake from a few weeks ago. (I remember when the weather was nicer. And, don't forget: happy first day of Spring!)

Green Water

You were probably asking yourself, just now, how one goes about changing the color of a river. I was too. The answer? Lots of food coloring. I remember filling a squirt gun up with red food coloring and water when I was little. Apparently, food coloring stains. So don't shoot someone wearing a white shirt (which is of course what I did). Anyhow, here's a video and some photos from yesterday's festivities. (And here's the official greenriver page.)

Reality Check

I hate to state the obvious. But McCain really
doesn't
have
a
c
h
a
n
c
e.
I generally don't enter political discussions, so I won't discuss.
I'll just compare.

Google You

I've been online for something like 12 years now. I remember logging in on ancient library computers my junior and senior years of high school (using a 14.4 dial-up modem!). Since then, I've had a number of now defunct webpages and blogs, most of which are untraceable even by the Wayback Machine (look at Google way back when). I bring this up just to say it can be interesting to see what's out there in cyberspace about you. One thing I didn't realize, is that I was really good at football in high school! Also, someone mentioned a presentation I did last year on their blog...kinda surprising. Finally, I never knew I had any financial savvy or lived in Utah! (One of these links is not like the others...) Take a look, I bet there's something out there you didn't know about you!