It's Petty, I Know, And I Don't Care!

I really did enjoy the trip to Chicago. Honestly I did. There were many fine moments and I saw some awesomely cool things. But...

My experience was marred by the constant fighting and bickering between my children! Maybe that's a shitty thing to say. But this is my diary, and I'm not wearing my Mom Hat here, this is me talking. I found myself wishing that I hadn't brought them along (even tho the whole point of bringing them along this time was so that they could have the experience of being in a huge city like that and what it has to offer) and found myself actually saying to them that they weren't coming back next year, and that me and my boyfriend would be taking a solo weekend vacation sans THEM. Awful, right?

My two youngest children are 9 and 11. I know they are going to bicker and fight. I know that their maturity level still needs to grow. A Lot. I understand all this completely. I can predict that my daughter will argue with me in a huge shopping mall such as the one in Schaumburg, if I don't get her everything she wants and then pout and be pissy until we get to the next store and the process repeats itself. I know with a certain amount of certainty that my son will run ahead of us and dash off in different directions, particularly in large department stores, and I will get frustrated because I can't find him for a few minutes, and when we get to the next store the process repeats itself. It doesn't matter what I say, they keep doing it. I mean, these are just TWO ways they piss ME off. These kids fight with each other constantly. I know it's normal. And I know it's my job to try to mediate and curtail their actions, but it's also something that we need to just get thru for the next few years. I know I'm supposed to focus on all the fun we had and the cool things we did, but THIS is what sticks in my mind. So can you blame me for telling them I don't want 'em around for our mini-vacay weekend next year? If me and my boyfriend fought this bad on a vacation I would have serious doubts about whether I would ever go away with him again, and possibly consider ending our relationship.

Like I said, because this is my diary, I can say how I really feel and not worry about being a bad mother for feeling this way. Perhaps it's my own inner 11 year old that feels like being bitchy and not very mature.

With all that said, here are the highlights: The View From Our Hotel. We stayed at the McCormick Place Hyatt. It was a real nice hotel (sixty fucking dollars for a breakfast buffet tho, jeez!) but it was the view of the city that impressed me the most. The Lake and Soldier Field (I don't know if they still call it that, because it's newly built but I'm old school and I'll still call it that) to the right of us and the rest of the city to out left, some of the buildings lit up in blue and orange and spelling out "GO BEARS" (then the Bears promptly LOST the Super Bowl the next day). Next it was The Museum Of Science And Industry and the Body Worlds Exhibit. These are actual cadavers that have been plasticized and preserved. You can see every tendon and ligament, every strand of muscle tissue, and all the nerves and their fascinating innervations. Fabulous! And a somber reminder that we really are fearfully and wonderfully made by the One True Creator. And lastly, (and this was probably the happiest and most stress free part of the trip) the dinner at Pizano's. Oh man! That was some great pizza! Thank you Google for finding me this great place! I typed in "the best pizza in Chicago" and this popped up. It was definetly the best pizza I ever ate.

Best Movie I Saw This Week: You know I habitually use the rating system that accompanies each movie that is on Insight Cable. Movies such as Titanic and Star Wars and The Godfather are rated four stars and really good, even great movies are rated three stars. But every once in awhile I will watch a movie that is rated two stars and I feel that the rating is a little unfair, and that it should be a three star film. The Birdcage is one such film. Nathan Lane is wonderful and delightful but it is Robin Williams' more understated and refined performance that makes this movie special. It's also a real treat to revisit a movie you saw ten years ago and be shocked and delighted at how funny it really was.

Best Song I Heard: This Ain't A Scene It's A Godamned Arms Race by Fall Out Boy. If I can talk about how much I love "Sexyback" by Justin Timberlake (and OOH I just remembered that I will be out dancing TOMMORROW NITE, and chances are I will shakin my booty to this song!) I can wax rhapsodic about Fall Out Boy. Actually I won't go that far, but I DID download this ringtone to my phone. And until just now, I wasn't even sure what this song was trying to say! I looked at the lyrics and it appears to be about the likes of tabloid/paparazi/bitchy internet gossip blog fags (yeah I said it again, and not because I'm homophobic but because these guys were my dirtbags of the month last month and I used that word back then). But didn't I see pictures of Pete Wentz next to Perez Hilton just a little while ago? Hmmm.... Oh well!

Book I'm Reading This Week: Manhunt by James L. Swanson. This is about the 12 day manhunt for James Wilkes Booth after he assassinated Abraham Lincoln. I knew this story (yes, I did pay attention SOMETIMES in school) but not all the historic details. And yes, this is a great book. I'm only about a third of the way thru right now, but I WILL finish this one.

Current Sewing Project: It's a pretty summer frock! It's New Look 6239. And it looks like I WILL FINISH this one too (and actually be able to wear the damn thing; I'm getting better!)

Top News Story: Well, today the news was all about the massive snow storm that pretty much covered us from Oklahoma to New York. Yeah, this winter has been a bit brutal compared to the last seven winters (that's how long I've been back home since I lived in Florida) school has been cancelled more than once this season but never Target. Oh they'll never cancel Target! What the news seemed to focus on were the over 2000 cancelled flights out of OHARE ALONE. It doesn't affect me at all because I don't travel much, but think about it: that's a lot of ruined plans. Weddings, funerals, births, etc. That's kind of a big deal, you know?

Since I started this post with a petty theme, I'll end it with one. I don't give a rat's ass if Barack Obama smokes! I guess he has promised the nation that he is quitting. Oh whatever! Ok, sure, he SHOULD quit. Everybody should, myself included. But why make a big deal about it? All those religious righters who support Bush and think that somehow smoking makes a person a dirty one, what's worse? Lighting up and taking a few puffs outside the capitol building or flat out fucking LYING to the American people about all the Iraq bullshit?

I'm looking forward to the new episodes of Bill Maher on HBO, and it starts again tommorrow. But HAH! Guess what, I'll just have to watch it later on On Demand because I WON'T BE HOME! I'm going out and I'm bringing SEXY BACK to that godamned bar! Yee Haw!!!!!!!!!