Our waitress at Diagostinos suggested that drinking from the pitcher with straws would be more efficient! Enjoying some beer and pizza after helping Nash and Hutch move.
Moving
Month: April 2006
Shake on it
I had my 3rd interview for Youth Guidance on Tuesday and I felt/feel really good about it! I felt very comfortable and confident in my answers. I also got to meet more of the team that I’d be working with and we seemed to get along great! There is also a possibility that I could use my Spanish in the job as over 40% of the public schools they service are Hispanic. It isn’t required for the job, but it might make some of the social workers that I would be working with feel a bit more comfortable. They told me that they have a “couple” more people to interview and that I should hear back by the beginning of next week! Here’s hoping!
While being shown around the office (which has a spectacular view of Millennium Park as its just across the street from the Art Institute on Michigan Ave.) and introduced to the other employees, I met a young woman wearing a Hijab. After being introduced I offered my hand to shake, I thought it was a bit odd that her hand didn’t move from her side, then she said “I don’t shake hands with men.” I immediately knew why and felt a bit silly that I had even offered. I apologized and most likely turned a few shades of red. I’ve never had this happen before, so I guess it took me a bit off guard. I promptly went on-line to see what information I could find about such practices. I didn’t know that the headscarf was called a “hijab” (which is the really the westernized word for “khimar”). I also found an entry on MSN spaces about that exact situation. Its probably much more prevalent than my experience has shown. On the same note, its fantastic to see such diversity in that workplace!
Access Denied
Don’t think that I didn’t notice all of the new blogs popping up while I was out of town! I have been waiting to dedicate a post to the new bloggers out there – this one is for you!
Welcome Dave!
Remember that one time we were driving home from a party and I convinced you that I stole the hubcap from another Mazda Protege… and it wasn’t until a few blocks later that I couldn’t contain my laughter and I confessed that I had stolen it from my own car in front of MY house?! hehe
Howdy Bill!
Remember that time that you and Wourms almost killed Dave, Galus and I in the Corrado when you came swerving off the exit ramp, in the Saturn, to Old Orchard road?! That was a CLOSE one!
Hola JK!
I’ll never forget that day you saved our lives in the Chevy… err… Caddillac… err Cimmaron!
Bonjour Keri!
Remember that time that you started a blog and linked me to some guy named Pablo’s blog in the UK?! Hilarious!
Do we have to say goodbye to some blogs as well?! What happened to Dana?! I have no problem with Hutch falling off of the face of the blogosphere… but Dana?! With nary a goodbye?!
I also have a bit of a gripe for some of you Blogspot users out there. Namely Bill, Keri and Jed!
This blog does not allow anonymous comments
ACCESS DENIED
I refuse to post comments in your blogs until this situation is resolved! Oh wait, I CAN’T post comments until then! D’OH! Don’t think I’m not reading, or that I have nothing to say… you know me better than that! 😉
Just please, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, enable anonymous comments? PRETTY PLEASE?!
Look what I found
As I was looking through old pics… as luck would have it… I found one of Fitz! Threw it in the scanner as it seems that posting embarrassing pictures of friends is “the coolest!”
As luck would have it
The day after returning from Spain (Friday) I headed into the office. As I was awake early I decided just to work in the morning. As I’m not sure how much longer I’ll be employed I decided not to purchase a parking pass for this semester – because of this I park my car on the street and normally have to move it every 3 hours.
As luck would have it, I found a spot with no 3 hour limit! (a difficult task while school is in session!)
It took me a while to remember everything that I was working on prior to leaving. As it turns out, there is a LOT more work for me to do to complete this project that I had originally thought. I was exhausted and couldn’t stop thinking about what a gorgeous day it was!
As luck would have it, the power went out all over campus making my day that much shorter!
I returned home and decided to run a few errands before setting myself to the annual “first nice day of the year” task – washing the car! It was a perfect day outside, not a cloud in the sky. I decided to wash Aita’s car as well as both of them were filthy from not being used for two weeks.
As luck would have it, I was outside just long enough to hear my name being called from across the street!
I didn’t know who it was at first, but as she approached I realized that it was my friend Carrie and her 2 week old baby girl Mikayla! What a fantastic surprise! They both looked fantastic and wonderfully healthy! We talked for a while and took an impromptu walk around the block to catch up. It was so great to see her and the new addition to the Smey family! Congrats to you both!
Chatting with Carrie made me a bit nostalgic for the good old days. I decided to see if I couldn’t find some old pictures to scan and put up for your viewing pleasure!
(as well as to see if I can actually get Carrie to stop lurking a post a comment!)
Vigil at Guadalupe
Katty and I are at another immigrant rights vigil. This one is just prior to the nation wide march that will be ocurring on May 1st for comprehensive immigration reform.
Spring is in the air
After little sleep and a LONG flight home, we have finally arrived. Sweet home Chicago – and what a day we have arrived too! Not a cloud in the sky and 75F. Perfect weather! Too bad I’m too exhausted to really enjoy it – but at least its something. Even better, everything is starting to bloom! The scent of flowers was lingering in the air as we arrived home…
Exhausted
At Barajas airport in Madrid now. I think that all of the lack of sleep is finally catching up to me as I feel like a total zombie today! Hopefully that will translate into sleep on the 8 hour flight that awaits us. It has been a fantastic trip! Many thanks to my parents for inviting me along. I can´t wait to write more about what we saw after having a chance to go through all of the picures. It´ll be good to get home and sleep in my own bed, that is for sure!
See you state-side!
Madrid in 48 hours!
Royal Palace in Madrid
We have just returned to Bilbao from our whirlwind tour of Madrid with Pepe and his brother Eduardo! We had a fantastic time with Pepe and his friends! The first night we went to a bar that seemed to only play 80s rock and had burgers and fries – it felt like we had gone back in time! The following day we spent walking around the entire city. Pepe was a fantastic guide! That night his father invited us out for dinner, incredible meal! Best lamb I think I have ever had! After going to another bar and watching Teresa take a few turns on stage with a guitar (and her own music!) we didn’t know what to expect next! As luck would have it I checked my e-mail this morning and I have been invited for a third interview on Friday!
…and I was hoping to be able to come home and relax after this trip!
Just about to leave for Madrid
We finally found a moment to sit down in an internet cafe here in Salamanca. My parents, aunts and uncles have left to return to Bilbao, while Teresa, Matt and I are getting ready to head for Madrid! Valladolid and Salamanca are incredible cities in their own rights, and if I had my USB adaptor with me, I would be posting pictures of both! I know you guys will believe me when I tell you that I have taken a ton!
Now we are off to visit with Pepe and his brother Eduardo en Madrid! Should be a great time! Tonight and Monday night in Madrid and then Teresa and I head back to Bilbao. We plan to see the exhibition at the Guggenheim and leave early Thursday morning for the US! Its non-stop since arriving!
My updates might be a bit more sporadic as I found out that T-Mobile is KILLING me for the roaming data rates. I have been taking pictures with my digital camera and then sending them to the blog via MMS. (for some reason my blog was automatically blowing up some of the pictures, so they looked horrible – I have since corrected the problem, so go back to see the original pics!) Apparently this counts as internet data so I´m getting hammered big time by the roaming rates. That and I´ve checked my e-mail a couple of times as I´m still waiting to hear back about the interview. Time to start trying to steal WiFi again! Internet cafes work as well.
Anyway, we need to get a move on! Hope to post again from Madrid! Hasta luego!