Soccer in the Football Stadium... Wait a Minute... oh, Ha, the Irony

This weekend I had 2 firsts. My first professional soccer match, and my first time cheering for my nation at a sporting event. I have had the chance to do this once before, it was a rugby match, and I chose my favorite rugby team, Munster, over the American Eagles. I am sorry, there was just no way the US was going to win and I learned about rugby in Munster and was brainwashed to love them. So I had no choice.

ANYWAY, The US played Honduras at Soldier field... also my first time in soldier field believe it or not... for a different kind of football... ah ha ha ha ha, I am so funny! Go ahead, take a moment. Breathe... Recover. Ok read on:

My friend Andy and I got totally decked out:
and we screamed and yelled at the tops of our lungs for the entire 90 minutes. As you can sort of see, the stadium was packed, and sadly not with American fans. Andy said he heard a man say that for every 1 US fan there were 3 Honduras fans. I believe it. Honduras fans were decked out in blue and white, US fans wore red. Soldier field was a sea of blue with specks of red. Andy said to me at one point, "Isn't it sad that the louder it is, the worse we are doing, on our home field?" And it kind of was! But none-the-less, it was so fun!! It was fun to actually feel like I could get really really excited about being American! I could cheer and go nuts and lose my voice over the fact that our soccer team is actually decent! We could sing songs, and start chanting and hug loads of strangers around us when we scored a goal! I felt apart of something bigger, and for the first time I was cheering not just for my state, not for a college, not for a favorite basketball team, I was cheering for my country's team. AND WE WON!!! I think I am not alone in this being a weird sensation.

The US is so huge. So many different teams, and 50 states all spread out, you feel like you are walking into a foreign land when you go from say Nebraska to California. We are different. We have different values, we live different lives and have different accents. Going to New York is nothing like going to Texas. To say you have been to the US is pretty vague. I mean jeez, we have Hawaii and Alaska!

Having studied in Ireland for a little while and going back there a bunch, I was totally jealous of the fact that my friends were able to sing songs and get excited about Eire! They made fun of other countries, followed their team to foreign places, and would get ridiculously trashed and party all day in honor of their team. I had nothing to compare to this other than say, game day in Nebraska! (there is no place like Nebraaaaaska, good old Nebraska U!) But, cheering for one school v. another or one state v. another is not the same thing.

Maybe it's because I spent a lot of time feeling somewhat like I had to hide the fact that I was American when I traveled for fear I would get asked a MILLION questions about why I voted for Bush? ( I didn't). Why do we think we know how to do everything? (um, we don't). Why do we have sooo much corruption? (Um HEY look at your own government too, ok??). I was always on the defense. I would try to stand up for myself, but once people found out I have a politician brother, my god, they grilled me. To be fair, when I was going over there a lot, half of my wardrobe said Jim Esch for Congress on it, so yeah I was a sitting duck. But, for the most part, I guess I was always very guarded about the fact that I was American. I love my country and I love what we stand for, but for awhile there, I will have to say I never wanted where I was from high lighted. That's a sad realization for sure.

But, back to soccer, this was the scene afterwards:
It was so fun!! We were all red, white and blue-ed out, clearly, dancing and singing and generally having a blast. I am so glad I went to the match. We kicked ass, and had gloating rites for the rest of the night. Anyone who knows me, KNOWS I am a very poor poor loser, like, just deplorable. I am also an asshole of a winner, so hoorah! I got to be an asshole of a winner!!!

Apparel-ently...

On my lunch break today I decided to do some on-line window shopping. Having perused my usual spots, I decided to look at American Apparel. They have a section on their site where you can check out their "new and innovative ideas". So basically, you can see the things they are currently manufacturing and will be on the market shortly. I will say this, some of their products are just SO innovative, I have no idea what their purpose could be. For example:

ASS-LESS TIGHTS
Now, call me CRAZY, but I am not sure I get the point of these tights. The only thing I can come up with is that someone REALLY enjoys wedgies, and well, this seems to be the solution.


(Really, I cannot think of another purpose... if you do, lemme know, the website did not provide explanation).

The Bow
My mother made me wear bows about that size when I was little... now American Apparel has made it possible for me to wear it in my mid-20's. Awesome. Oh, in case you were wondering, it CAN double as a belt.

I am actually a fan of this store- in doses. Some of my favorite articles of clothing are from here, but um... sometimes, like 83% of the time, I get nervous when I walk in... I mean I see people try on metallic shorts and hott pink and acid wash jeans in there! (and not as a joke, but as a fashion choice!) The 80's died a horrible death, it's like the Titanic, everyone agrees, you should let the tragedy have it's grave and only revisit it for historical purposes... with specialized machinery and robotics... the 80's would have appreciated the robots.

(C'mon, acid wash? harem pants? You people will regret it when pageant hair comes back in and you have to put effort into that shaggy hair cut you are sporting that works so well under your bike helmet... and you will have no one to blame but yourselves.)

One more thing.

MEN SHOULD NOT WEAR SKINNY PANTS. (just for your own health... seriously). My friend CJ said, "The sign of a good hipster is that you cannot tell if it's a he or a she." So, I guess, I mean, in this case go ahead dude, you wear those skinny pants!

I am a theatre kid, I know better than to hinder someone's freedom of expression, BUT WHAT ON EARTH DO ASS-LESS TIGHTS EXPRESS?

I have weird conversations...

This is what I talk about with people... I am ok with it. Thought you should know who you are dealing with I guess!

Number 1:This has been an on-going idea for about 2 years now ( his name has been changed to be able to actually enact this plan)

Friend: so we really have to follow through with this fake marriage i need a mini-fridge in my new apartment

so i never have to leave my new cave

me: hahaha

i have so much stuff i would love to get

Friend: cuz i would love a blender

and minifridge

dude and!

a kegorator

ooo and some martini glasses

me: oooh I want a flat screen... and a Wii... do you think its ok to register for a Wii?

Friend:of course
and some nice plates

oh and i totally want a nice set of pots and pans

me: I have martini glasses, I enjoy them, they are green

Friend: how am i the woman in this conversation?

me: I dont know

Friend: you want toys and i want glassware and cooking things?

me: AND A BAGS SET

hahaha

Friend: dude we'd have to get a bags set that's the only way our fake marriage could ever last

me: ok, some sweet ass sheets

Friend: yeah

me: there i was the girl for a minute

Friend: dude and a surround sound

there we go, required some testosterone

me: ooh man and some great soft bath towels!

Friend: dude that's a solid idea

me: and a good grill

Friend: i have one of those

but i guess you might need one

me: thats what the siblings got my brother, i was like, yes, let's continue this tradition

Friend: hahahhaa

oh dude and a nice set of Steak Knives

me: Oh yes!

Friend: let's get married in august so i can have my new stuff soon

Friend: it'll be a brief and remarkably unsexual courtship

me: HAHAHAHA

Friend: also I want a buddy holly impersonator to perform the ceremony

actually fuck buddy holly

i want jerry lee lewis

oh and i want a scotch cabinet

me: ooooh

this is going to go very well!

Friend: this is flawless

there is no way this can backfire

unless someone points out that you're seeing other people and i'm a manwhore

me: surely not

Friend: then we're screwed

fortunately no one knows either of those facts......

see that was funnier if you saw my face

me: lol I like our plans, so far today i am fake marrying you and breaking into your apartment to steal your hard drive... anything else slightly illegal I can do for you?
Friend: How do you feel about auto Theft? Also, how do you tell if a female is interested? explain how i can be sure she's interested before i make a total ass of myself.

Number 2- sent mid-day:T: I was reading a menu to some woman over the phone

and after everything i said

she made moaning noises

and i nearly lost it laughing on the phone

and not like "mmm" noises

but like "ohhhhhhhhhh"

"woooow"

it was the dirtiest effing phone call i've ever had

personal or business

granted, i wasn't getting turned on

but it sounded really dirty

like, someone could take that excerpt from the phone call

and it would sound like someone was giving her the business

Number 3:

a: i don't believe this "email" you sent me has an email address for the good padre

b: what?

bawls

a: yeah, i mean

dubs tee eff?

4:24 PM b:*@jesuit.ie

a: the jesuits have an email server?

awesome

b: the irish ones do i guess

.ie means ireland web addresses

i like how the US got .com

4:25 PM and everyone else is like .co.uk

a: well, we're awesome

b: or .ie

troof

4:26 PM a: i just straight emailed that fool, yo

b: WHAT SON?

a: awwwwwwww shee-it!

4:27 PM honky betta rekognize!

4:28 PM b: shoot

a: i'm not sure WHO the honky is in that sentence

4:29 PM but s/he sure betta look out, for realsies

b: me either but whatevs

I assumed the priest

a: sure, why not?

we're also unsure what he has to rekognize

the trinity?

holy days?

4:30 PM b: hellz Yeeaaah!

4:31 PM a: double troof

Number 4:
me: I may have just morphed my face with RPatz to see what our baby would look like....

http://www.morphthing.com/showimage/5/21d8d81accd3e4bf193c349f711c7761/0/185462/Baby-of-Robert-Pattinson-and-P1010138-JPG.jpeg

C: omfg i love you

9:55 AM me: lol

that baby probs needs to happen

9:57 AM Ch: hahahaha

i agree, he/she? is a cutie

9:58 AM me: lol

9:59 AM C: either way - good looking kid

it looks more like a female

me: this is like a new way to decide if you should continue dating someone

me: morph your baby

C: hahaha- weird.
i will have to keep the site

play around a bit

10:01 AM me: omg its too fun

and i am being CREEPY

I am going to send Ry a picture of what our baby will look like, hahaha

10:02 AM C: Ry D?

me: yes

ya know when we are 40... and we are not married, our love child that never could be, because he is gay.

10:03 AM p.s. why are my babies blondes?

10:04 AM C: haha

not sure

were you blond as a baby?

10:05 AM Ry was light haired

10:08 AM me: no

dark haired all my life

omg I just made a baby with my friend. haaaa. Ry will be thrilled. Except our baby looks crazy.
C: you will have wonderful babies if need be

well ry has the crazy eyes, so...

aaaaaaand secene.

Cherry Pez Coke Crush Rock Studded Boogie

Life is picking up again! Of course I can NEVER have too much going on at once... right?

I went home this weekend for Bill and LeeAnn's wedding. It was gorgeous! This is the photo of all the siblings now!

I think it is safe to say we danced our azzes off and had a pretty outstanding time. Scooter gave a great best man's toast, everyone looked quite dapper, and the band is basically best friends with us now! Party! (We were, however, all saying that it's just such a shame Bill and LeeAnn aren't attractive... sigh.)

So, I flew back to the Chi on Monday morning... by morning I mean the 6:20am flight to Chicago... which means getting up at 4:15am... if any of you have dealt with me early in the morning, you know that "Hap(p)y Holly (4)" does not exist, "Bitchy Silent Holly", however, does. Originally, I was going to fly back Sunday night, but my most excellent date, John, had to fly to the east coast for work Monday morning and he did not know the rents and thought it would be weird if he stayed there without me. Little did he know that once you stay at our house my parents pretty much take you in as one of their own, because after 6 kids, what's one more?... John is really chipper in the morning btw. He says things like, " I am going to go consult the shit out of today!" (with fist pumps and a hug just to patronize me... I threatened physical violence). NOT 'TIL I HAVE CAFFEINE!!

I am not complaining anymore though because in all fairness it ended up working out in my favor. I got bumped from my flight and got TRAVEL VOUCHERS. Woo hoo!!! On the flight back (the 9am one) I was so out of it I fell asleep. I was that person that fell asleep on the guy next to me, but only briefly, once my head hit his shoulder I woke up, apologized, and checked to make sure I did not drool, bc that would be gross. ( I did not, just to be clear).

I got to work and basically had the jitters from caffeine. I was useless.

Speaking of work, this is the e-mail I received this morning:

Subject: CRAZY SQUIRREL ALERT
I need to alert all of you to be on the look out for a crazy squirrel. One of our faculty members reported that upon returning to the office, the scholar discovered a squirrel attempting to access email. The critter had chewed through the screen of the office window. Facilities and IT were called upon.

This is what I imagine the squirrel looked like... I did not see him.

YES. You noticed it. This squirrel is a ginger kid. Only a ginger squirrel would do this.

I am not kidding you. This happened. Evidently the professor did not even notice the squirrel just chillin at his computer for awhile either. HA! Loyola Squirrels are crazy though. They have no fear and live off of McDonald's and cigarettes.

I am also super sore today, but in that amazing, 'I-just-worked-muscles-I- did-not-know-I- had' kind of way. CJ and I started pilates last night. I am in love. I have never done pilates. I tried yoga, but I am not a big fan of sitting still in awkward positions, so this seems to be a great choice for me. Normally I am a runner, and recently, due to some amazing orthodics, I can run again! Hooray!! I have missed it so much! I am up to 6 miles again... I am probably going to over do it and then be in real trouble with my podiatrist, but meh, these dogs aren't barkin yet!

Can we get a hooray for 3 day weekends?? HOORAY! This weekend will be a blast! Mostly due to the fact that the GAA concert is this weekend- Don't make me use the built in Catholic guilting gene I got from my mother... show up, or make a donation :) It's what your mother would want YOU to do.

Pools around the city are opening, cook-outs and beach going will be the theme of the weekend. There is nothing better people. Nothing better. I love food. Actually, I am pretty sure that many of my friends are convinced that if they ever decided to stop cooking for me, I would leave them. I threaten this, but truth be told, I would never ditch you if you became as lazy as I am in the kitchen. I would just not hang around you as much. Or bake you things. ( I bake, I do not cook, I CAN cook, I just don't).

I feel like I could write for days on things that are coming up and currently happening, but this just might be long enough already... and it's summer... so I am sure that I will eventually get sick of battling the university website as I try to update it (which is a pain in the ass) and need to blog. So I will catch you all later. (Yep, all 2 of you.)

hOmaha

I went home this weekend for the first time in 4 months! It was crazy how long it had been.

I like going home, it's just a good reminder of who I am, I LOVE MY FAMILY and it helps me look at things in a different way. It's undeniable that Omahans are different from Chicagoans. When I go home I have to remember that people think you are rude if you just breeze by them. I have to remember that the clerk at the check out does in fact want to talk. Also, if I walk into a bar/ restaurant or really any place where lots of people are gathered, my siblings will know someone. The cars are bigger, things are much more spread out and I am allergic to most things there now. HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN? I mean I know I have lived in Chicago for 6 years almost, so I guess now, without fail my allergies act up when I go home. It's bizarre.

This weekend was a blast though. I got in late and went to Barrett's with the siblings, then stayed up until about 3am talking with my mom. According to my siblings, when I am home, I make my mom exponentially goofier.

On Saturday, we went to my soon to be sister in-law's bridal shower at my cousin Beth's house, which is so cute! Then we went shopping and got our dresses fitted. It was fun and exhausting, so exhausting in fact that my mom did not think she could make it to the next room, so she looked at my dad- who is in a wheel chair that we call "The Red Roadster" because he had surgery, no worries he is recovering well- and said, "Can I have a ride to the next room?" and this is what followed: (sorry about the laughing... you will want to turn the volume waaaay down if you can...Kelly and I could not keep it together...)

Yes, they do in fact run into the doorjamb in the end.

So after that, Bill and I went and saw Monsters vs. Aliens in 3-D. It was pretty awesome. I cannot deny it.

The next day, my mom and I went to the grocery store to get food for our big celebration of Dan and Bill's birthdays. I love family dinner, and now with every one's significant others, it's getting bigger and bigger! (there are more people to make fun of). We grilled out, but because it was raining we had to grill in the garage with the door open (the garage now smells DELICIOUS). My mom and I cooked all day and that's when I noticed this little gem of a decoration in my parents kitchen:
What I want to know is how on earth I was the first one to make a joke about it?!

My Mom loves to decorate for the holidays... if you have ever been at our house at Christmas, you know what I am talking about. Its pretty awesome. We are a winter wonderland. Easter decor in the kitchen is getting pretty close though.

Anywho, we have dinner. It's delicious. Everyone is making jokes and telling stories. Then it was time for the game. Oh yes, there is only one way to properly celebrate a 29th and 26th birthday- Pin the Tail on the Donkey. Duh.

My mom and I saw it in the dollar aisle at the store and thought that we just could not, NOT get it. So, we taped it up in the hallway and set the stakes at this:

Winner would have the Title of Favorite Child of The Week (yes, this was open to anyone in attendance, Jim's girlfriend is usually the favorite- we call her "number one" all the time, I think she even signed my birthday card that way) and the surprise gift which was a statue of a crazy squirrel, holding a sign that says: Welcome to the Nut House. I wish I had a picture of it, bc it's really the freakiest garden statue ever.

After blind folding and spinning 9 people ages 19- 33, the game was over and Bill won the title of favorite child and the coveted freaky-ass statue. It was a good night.

Other notable events: my mother is convinced we are all going to get the Swine flu and she almost killed me while driving several times. So the Swine Flu does not scare me. I made it back to Chicago in one piece after driving with my mom, THAT's an accomplishment.

All in all. hOmaha was a great time. Now on to an excellent Chicago summer!

ONE. SWEET. CONCERT.

I have not posted in yonks and yonks!

But, that is because I have been working on a project. I am working with the Global Alliance for Africa to put on a kick azz fundraiser. Thanks to some really great bands, the talented Michael Wolfe (check out the sweet poster above) the fantastic DJ Chuck Wren and Subterranean, we have the event pretty much ready to go!

I am thrilled and EXPECT TO SEE YOU ALL THERE ON MAY 24, 2009! It's $15 for some sweet music at SubT. We will have a raffle for a chance at some cold hard cash and of course your donations will be most welcome!

Please check out the bands:
The Drastics: http://www.thedrastics.com/
Paper Thick Walls http://www.myspace.com/paperthickwalls
Sona the Voice http://www.myspace.com/sonathevoice
Scott Wesley http://www.myspace.com/scottwesleyband
and
DJ Chuck Wren

To get tickets, go here: http://www.globalallianceafrica.org/donation/index.php?hid_dns_type=1


(something a little more witty perhaps will come later this week).

My Favorite Appendage, My Phone.

I left my phone at home today.

I feel like I would be just as uneasy if I had left my right arm there as well. I don't even have a fancy phone. The coolest thing my phone can do is play music from the speaker on the side of it. And really, I am going to be at work... at a computer and by a land line phone... so really, I have no reason to be uneasy, but it has become such a part of me, that it feels wrong not to have it. I mean what if one of my friends sends me a hilarious text and I don't get to see it until 5:45pm??

• THE WORLD WILL STOP TURNING!
• Someone will get offended.
• People will probably think I am dead...

This list could go on forever.

Basically, I am alive, I love you all, and please earth, keep on orbiting.

It kind of amazes me how dependent I am on my cell phone. I mean, I remember when having caller ID was super cool. Does anyone remember teen lines? I wanted one so badly, but my parents were not having any of that. Oh man, getting to have a phone in my room was a huge deal! (of course getting to decorate my room how I wanted was a big deal too... that's a story for another day, haha!) I had no use for a phone when I was 10 or 12, but little kids have WAY cooler phones than I do. It baffles me! Why does a 12 year old need an iphone? I can't even use one properly. My brother has one and I look at it the same way I look at Dick Cheney- what the hell am I supposed to do with that?

Clearly I am accessible, people know where I live, I have a work phone, 3 e-mail addresses I check regularly, facebook... ok, I am getting kind of disgusted by all the ways people can contact me- oh and I have a BLOG! Oooookaaaaayyy... hmm.

This shit is bananas. (I know a few people just sang b-a-n-a-n-a-s).

I assume at some point we will all have crackberries and iphones. I figure by the time I have kids, I will get my baby a going home outfit and a cell phone after she/he is born. (I will not have my kid behind in the times).

This is not to say I hate technology. I just am very bad at using it. I pretend like I know what to do sometimes... but normally, if I have a problem with one of my techy toys I either turn it off and on, and if that doesn't work I shake it and pray that something shifts back into place. I actually have a tiny little laptop now... for everyone who knows the SAGA of my old hp, she is still working, it was just time to move on. Now I have the tiniest pink computer- you would be shocked. Its really cool- I am proud of me :)

My mother has learned how to use the Internet. My mother did not know how to turn a computer on 2 months ago, now she is googling her children. She told me she has been googling me. hahaha... that's a little unsettling.

I don't own a camera that develops film anymore.

It is normal for people to meet potential life partners via online dating sites. Um... I still remember when chat rooms were taboo and it was considered CRAZY to meet someone you found on line in person. I still am not ok with it. I get that we are all busy but, for real? No offense if you like dating sites, I still prefer to meet someone in person and make sure that photo was not airbrushed- THEN I go home and on line "research" you, duh.

And really, texting, dear god what on EARTH do people do without it? I have made more bad decisions and said so many things I never would have if it weren't for the ability to text. I mean basically, I can talk to anyone at any time, say REALLY stupid things, and attach a personality to a guy that does not exist because we don't actually talk on the phone- we maintain a text relationship. awesome. See here for an accurate account of what text dating is like: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dX3ws6OnGuE

Moral of the story, I have not developed film in ages, I do not have a land line in my apartment and I don't know what I would do without facebook. I have a phone to talk to like 7 people and I text all the rest. ha.