Bailamos

A couple weeks ago there was a great column in the H-N about singing in the car. (SIDE NOTE: Don't Stop Believing is on 99.9 right now. Journey, I adore you.) I admit I tend to be guilty of this. I love to drive with the windows open and sing to my heart's content, though I tend to stop at stop lights. There are few songs that I am embarrassed to crank at a high volume from my car, but over the past couple weeks I've found them. Exhibit A: Clay Aiken's "Invisible." If loving that song is wrong, I don't want to be right. Even though Clay is a scary little man, that song is so catchy (and yet sketchy). But if the windows are open and that song comes on, I'm changing the station. Another example came today as I headed home from the mall. While flipping stations, I landed on Star 96.7 and heard the opening strains of "Bailamos." This song never fails to amuse me because all the Spanish parts are so dramatic, so I was very excited to blast it. Then I got to a stop light, and the guy in the car next to me looked around my age. I suddenly realized I was blasting Enrique Iglesias. I just couldn't do it, and quick switched stations. As we pulled away, I started it up again and luckily got there before the "Te Quiero, Mi Amor" part.

Speaking of the H-N, I'm feeling pretty special this week. I got my first Open Line complaint!!! I was so hoping for this to happen. Though any Open Line comment is reason for celebration, I'm happy it's a complaint because they're just so much more entertaining. Here's the complaint:

Equal rights wanted
In regards to Ladies Night Out article and the equal rights issue: If you want equal rights, you can't expect special treatment. You can't have your cake and eat it, too! Joliet

This is just too hilarious. I've never really understood the concept of "having your cake and eating it too." As long as you don't eat the whole cake, you can have your cake and eat it too. After a review of my column, I noticed that I never said I wanted equal rights, I wanted extra rights, but anything to get mentioned in the Open Line. Rumor (and Courtney's grandma) has it that my column was mentioned on Scott Slocum's show on WJOL, so if anyone heard anything, give me the details.

I continue to be obsessed with 99.9 and their 9999 songs in a row. The variety is awesome, but they tend to play (sorry Patrick!) Springsteen's "The Rising" a bit more than necessary. I also love the heavy Journey rotation on 100.7 lately. I even heard "Lights" yesterday!!

In social news, last weekend was a lot of fun. Thursday, as usual, was Heroes. The majority of our amusement came due to the spot where we took up residence for the majority of the evening. Thanks to Megan and Brad, we were able to hang out on the lovely new outside couches in the "Fake Wrigley" section of the beer garden. These couches were a prime spot for people watching, although sometimes we saw more than we needed to see. At one point in the night I was in the middle of conversation when I heard the sound of a steady stream. I looked to my left, and a man was relieving himself near the corner of the building. I was horrified/amazed/amused, and Mike and Brian yelled over to the guy, who informed us that the bouncer had told him to answer the call of nature in that location. I have yet to see a "Calvin Pissing on Heroes" bumper sticker, but perhaps I'll make one. In another couch incident, I was sitting on the end of one couch, talking to Nancy, who was sitting on the couch next to me. Suddenly a large man comes and plops down next to me. I looked quizzically at Nancy, wondering if this was going to be an attempt at "pitching woo." Luckily there was a lady friend trailing behind him, and she plopped down on the couch too. These are not big couches. I am a small person, but this man was large, and quickly attempts were made to crowd me off. I was trying to "sit my ground" for a while, but eventually I sought refuge on the other couch next to Nance, leaving the pushy pair to canoodle. There really wasn't much else at Heroes, so here's a note from the week before that I'd forgotten. In honor of the passing of Ronald Reagan, Eddie Z played Outkast's "Bombs Over Baghdad." A touching tribute. After Heroes, we went to Melrose. I recommend the saganaki. We had to fill in the "Opa!" as our waitress just served it with a smile.

Friday night I started my evening by attending my friend Angie's graduation party at the Tuckaway Terrace. It was a great time, and the DJ's musical selections were hilarious, I especially loved Clarence Carter's "Strokin'." After that we went to see
"Dodgeball" at Ghetto 8. This movie was a tour de force in comedy and is up there with "Old School" for me. I don't want to give anything away, but it was just fabulous, 3 3/4 stars. On a Jeopardy related note, uber champ Ken Jennings recently revealed his penchant for going to movies with a friend and clapping every time the title of the movie is uttered within the film (which is extra annoying during films such as Seabiscuit). Mike and I tried near the beginning of the movie to pull a Ken Jennings by clapping every time they said "dodgeball," but it didn't last long and Courtney convinced us to stop before any theater patron opened up a can of whup ass.

After Dodgeball, we headed over to Samy's to meet the graduation girl again. Though it was cool, we were able to enjoy the new outdoor section and its specialty drinks, pina coladas and Blue Hawaiians served in coconuts that you get to keep! While the pina colada is recommended, the Blue Hawaiian is less appealing. In "pitching woo" news, a man clad in sunglasses (inside the bar, Corey Hart style, apparently he wore them so he could so he could survive) attempted to talk to me, but couldn't remember his own name and had to ask his mulleted buddy. After resisting "Billy" 's (that's what his friend said his name was) invitations to dance,I hustled to the great outdoors after that one.

Saturday evening I went to my second Jackhammer game of the season with Melanie. Yes, I had my chicken sandwich, but it wasn't very good that night. However, the frosted nuts were excellent. It was a pretty dull game, but we did get to meet Champ, the Jackhammers' puppy mascot. After the game we headed to a new hot spot in Joliet, the Cuban bar called Eo Vannus (or something like that). Though it wasn't crowded (it apparently gets going after 11), this place looked like it will be awesome; comfy leather couches, good music, and really good mango mojitos (or as some might call them, Mo-HA-Doh's). After that, we went to McBrody's for a while, nothing too exciting there.

Didn't do anything Sunday, but Monday night was yet another Jackhammers game with Melanie, Aaron and Mike. They lost. . .again, but it was fun, we made fun of Jammer as usual and tried their new Chili Cheese nachos, which were not on the level of the famous Features of Naperville's nachos, but still quite good. I feel like something else amusing happened at the game, but I can't recall it right now, I'll have to consult with my sources. And that's about it for now. . . more news later. Adios!