The View From the 15th

I often go to work and think to myself, "nothing exciting ever happens around here." But on Friday, October 28, 2005 that all seemed to change as the City of Chicago decided to have the White Sox World Championship Rally right outside our building's doorstep. The best part was that since a majority of our office space looks onto LaSalle Street and Wacker Drive, we were treated to some awesome views of the event. We saw lots of newspaper confetti and we also watched the entire program from the comfort of our offices.

Here I am on the left, FOB that I am, posing in front of the event stage after the festivities are over and the crowds are beginning to disperse. People were actually picking up the shredded newspaper that served as "ticker tape" or confetti on the ground and saving it as souvenirs. I've yet to check, but I am sure that by now some of it has shown up on Ebay. Dang. I knew I should have sent Tony to pick some up. Oh well.

The crowds as you can imagine were unbelievable and they just kept coming and coming and coming. There were so many people that both of our building's entrances were totally blocked and people were unable to get in or out of the building. People actually had to enter through the underground parking garage. Going to get lunch proved to be a challenge as there was no easy way to get around.

All in all, this was definitely a once in a lifetime event and I'm glad that I got to see it. Congratulations to the White Sox. I promise to go out and watch some games at Comiskey (it will always be Comiskey to me) next season. Opening Day anyone?

What an interesting name...

I was ordering office supplies at work today and this item in the catalog caught my attention. Maybe it's just me, but there's something about calling kitchen plastic "Purity Wrap" that makes me smile. Tony Chan was sitting near me when I just started laughing uncontrollably. I know, I'm such a loser.

IAMAMORON 2.5

Caution: Moron On Board
I was over by Old Orchard shopping mall yesterday heading north on Skokie Road. There's a series of lights that run the length of the mall's parking lot. They are the kind that have separate left-turn only and thru traffic signals. I was in the thru lane, but for some reason my car was slowing down to a complete stop, entirely through my own first-rate braking efforts. The only problem, as Eric Hu so ably pointed out, was that I had a green to go. Apparently, my mind was focused on the car in the left turn lane that was stopped and waiting for the left-turn signal to give him the go-ahead. I had assumed that since he was stopped, I should be stopped. A car behind me was gracious enough to slow down with me and didn't feel it was necessary to point out my moron-ness (he didn't honk or flash his lights). I proceeded to accelerate and pretend as if I meant to do that.

Great America's Fright Fest
On a totally separate note, I visited Great America's Fright Fest yesterday (it was Columbus Day and a day off from work) for the seventh (or is it eighth?) time this year. The park's decorations seem to get more and more off-the-wall every year. This year Hometown Square has been designed to look like a space ship has landed there and that the military is trying to defend the area. The efforts are topped with several individuals wearing army uniforms marching aimlessly around. Quite cool.

Finally, someone who understands...

Richard Roeper, who probably has one of the most interesting columns in the Sun-Times, often invites readers to submit ideas. One such reader responded by writing:

Here is what Oprah might as well be telling her audience:

"Hey, Mr. and Ms. Consumer! People who work retail jobs are second-class citizens! Their time is NOT valuable. Yours is! And the customer is always right, so get out there and take advantage.

"Posted store hours? They're for suckers. You want something? Go get it. So what if that woman behind the counter is gonna be late picking up her daughter at day care? YOU are important! That sales clerk is not.

"It is NOT your responsibility to plan accordingly or to respect other people's schedules. If you get to that fancy store and it's closed, kick up a fuss.

"Remember: I was HUMILIATED at that Hermes store! If a sales clerk feels humiliated at having to stick around for us special people, that's his problem."

-Steve Graue, Chicago

What I love even more is Rich's response to the reader's comments:

Oprah says the store wasn't closed -- it was "in the process of closing." Of course, that means that, if you're in the store, you're encouraged to wrap things up but you're not kicked out. But, if you're OUTSIDE, you can't get in. If the staff lets people in while they're in the process of closing, they'll never actually close.

Oprah was turned away from a store that was no longer open, and maybe the clerk was rude. In other words, she experienced the same sort of minor confrontation that we all experience, all the time. Instead of letting it go, she played the Queen-of-the-World card and got the U.S. president of Hermes to grovel on television while her disciples applauded wildly.

URAMORON 1.0

So congratulations are in order for CCUC which celebrated its 90th anniversay on Sunday, October 2, 2005. There was a big combined worship service that brought together all three congregations at the main church building in addition to all the congregations from CCUC-North and CCUC South.

As part of my service to the church on this occaision, I was assigned to coordinate the ushering of the New Basement and gym areas. I had a team of ten individuals who did a tremendous job keeping track of everything that was going on. Things ran pretty smoothly and the cake-cutting (while others were outside taking the all-church photo) was challenging but completed.

After the service, as we were ushering people out of the gym through the back stairway to go and take the all-church photo, I came across a couple and their baby. The father was holding, not only the baby carrier, but also the stroller. Given that over 1100 people are about to invade the sidwalk in front of the church, it would be a no-brainer to leave unnecessary items behind. If you have small children, carry them with you, but leave the stoller and carriers behind. It will be hectic enough trying to keep track of people let alone all of these additional belongings.

So I approached the dad and suggested that he might want to leave behind some of his items. He looked at me pretty angrily and annoyed. I think he thought I was suggesting that he leave the not only the stroller and but also the baby carrier with baby in it. Um...hello!? Who in their right mind would suggest that? That he thought that that was the implication of my suggestion makes him the biggest moron. I understand that it was a long morning and that seating conditions were less than optimal, but don't shoot the messenger trying to make the experience a little more enjoyable and pleasant. Some people really need to learn to be more civilized. There is no need to behave this way on such a momentous occaision.

Good grief!