We love our visitors...

This weekend we had the Berger's come down to visit us from good ole Minnesota! Its spring break and they wanted to get away somewhere different. We've already had a lot of fun and its only Saturday morning! They came in Thursday night and yesterday the three of them (Julie, Jordan - 16, and Simon - 6) all went out to the Jelly Belly Factory for a "free" tour. They key though is trying to get out of there without buying any of their product. I wish I could have gone, but alas someone has to make some money around here, right? :-) Later that night we met them at "The Family Fun Center" in Gurnee for some fun games...Meg and I are all about earning tickets so we had a BLAST! It was fun to see how excited Simon would get when he would do well at a game! Best feature though, they have the original Big Buck Hunter there and its only $.50 per person for a whole round so you get 20 sites for two people for $1!!

Today we are taking the Metra down to Chicago. For those that have heard about Meg's experiences on the Metra, we are ready for an eventful day!! I think the plan is to see Navy Pier and Millennium Park, we are trying to keep it on the cheap since Julie spent all her money on the "free" tour! For those who haven't been there, Navy Pier is a great place and getting in is totally free. There is a HUGE lake front Ferris Wheel and a couple other smaller rides, some shopping, lots of summertime boat cruises, and more. Its a fun little place to visit and the views are about as good as they get with the Chicago skyline and Lake Michigan surrounding it. Millennium Park, or Grant Park as I grew up calling it, is a wonderful 25 acre park in the heart of downtown Chicago. There is a HUGE (not so attractive) amphitheater with room for 4000 people and apparently some of the best outdoor acoustics around for summer concerts. It would be fun to see a show there sometime. In addition the park is littered with art and monuments including "Cloud Gate" which is a pretty cool 33 foot high (66 foot wide) umm jelly bean (stick with a theme I guess...its on the left of the picture) that is completely reflective. They even have a 300 space indoor heated bike parking facility and a really innovative giant LED lighted fountain (see bottom of picture) that you have to see to believe. You'll have to check these places out if you ever come here!

Its really fun having friends from home here visiting with us. Just about the only time we ever go downtown is when visitors come so its still pretty exciting for us. I am sure today will be filled with a lot of fun...I just hope we aren't TOO tired from all the walking!!

My new thing...

I recently decided that I love finding new acoustic versions of cover songs. Last night I caught the end of AI and saw David Cook performing an acoustic version of Billie Jean (one of my favs from the 80s). So it sent me on a quest to find the song (which was performed originally by Chris Cornell) which showed me a whole new world of people who rewrite famous songs into acoustic covers. I was looking around today and found a few really cool ones...some where cool cause they were just well done while others were just straight up entertaining!!

Here is one of the more entertaining ones:


Meanwhile, this one was just pretty dang sweet!! I love that they showed the actual video to show how it matches up just perfect!!


I hope you all enjoy checking these videos out...I find it amazing that someone can hear a song like Hey Ya by Outkast and make it into a sweet acoustic song that still can keep my attention!!

I hope you all had a great night...I am glad that Syesha made it through another cut. I am not really watching AI, but I am keeping up with the results from time to time and she was one of people I kinda liked.

A magnet for TV stars

Most of you who know me know that I travel about monthly out to LA for work. Our headquarters is out there so I frequently go there for meetings and to work with co-workers. From time to time I'll see famous people in airport and sometimes even on my flight...for example for you MTV Real World buffs (or now WWE buffs), "The Miz" sat a few rows back from me a year or so ago. Well my last two flight have found me having even closer brushes with fame. On my way back a month or so ago I was sitting in the middle section of a 777 with the middle seat open. I looked over and saw Cooper...well Cooper from Private Practice (also known as Paul Adelstein). I let him have his privacy for most of the flight but as we decended into Chicago I decided enough was enough. We talked for maybe 20 minutes about the strike, the show, my job (haha), and a few other things. He was a really cool, down to earth guy.

Well yesterday I am in line at one of the few good restaurants in the United terminal at LAX and I look back and see Bernie Salazar. Who's Bernie you ask? Well Bernie is (now was) one of the contestants on "Biggest Loser" a show Meg and I got into this year while the strike going on. I knew he was from Chicago so I figured he was on my flight. I gave him a chance to eat his meal and as the plane was getting ready to board, I made my move. "You're Bernie right?" He replied, "Yeah man, hows it going?" We proceeded to talk for about 10 minutes about his life after the show and how things are going with his weight loss. He looked REALLY good when you consider what he looked like about 3 months ago...though he WAS suited up (as was I. He was in town trying to capitalize on his newfound fame (who could blame him) so keep your eyes open for him next year, sounds like something is in the works. He still keeps in touch with the trainers (though not in person) and Brittney, his former partner. In fact, he had just hung up with her when I approached him! haha

Anyway, I know he's not really a STAR, but anytime you run into someone that you spend weeks watching on TV and cheering for its kind of fun. Bernie, by the way, is a big fan of people coming up and talking to him. He says he really likes hearing that people are cheering him on...its funny cause sometimes you forget that this is really just real life for them. He got a chicken caesar salad minus the dressing for anyone who cares...yeah I was watching! haha

So it looks like the good luck will continue on my flights to/from LA. Anyone who wants to meet some TV stars (big and small) should come along with me...it sure makes the traveling more interesting!! All I know is I plan for my next flight to be legen... wait for it... dary!

A special day for my Meghan

Today is a special day at my house. Just 2 years ago at this time, I was a single man wondering what God had in store for my life. Little did I know that the next year not only would He had prepared an amazing year for my career but that he would send an amazing woman into my life. This woman is everything that I needed to make my life more exciting and more balanced...not to mention she is a beautiful woman whom I cherish with all my heart!

Today, my Meghan turns 26 years old. While I've only known her for 2 of my [cough] 30 years of life, I can proudly say that my wonderful wife has made my life exponentially more enjoyable. She's my partner, my love, and my best friend. I'd love it if if you'd leave a little message for her to wish her a Happy Birthday...and if you know her email you can send her an email too!!

I love you Meghan, I hope you have a great birthday!! :-)

My first skiing adventure

Nothing makes you feel like a man more than having a seven year old girl fly by you going down a hill. That was my most recent new experience with my wife though. Can you believe that a person who has lived in WI, MN, and IL his WHOLE life has NEVER been downhill skiing? Sure I've gone CC skiing but never downhill...ever.

A few years ago in December I told myself that was going to be the year I made it downhill skiing. I even talked to some friends about it. Within a week...literally...I was in a cast up to my elbow that was on and off for the next 9 months. I never even made it skiing a bohemouth of a Ukrainian had his way with me on the basketball court. So much for skiing! So you can understand my skepticism when Meghan told me I would be going downhill skiing to celebrate our first married Valentines Day.

We found a nice local ski hill that wasn't even 30 minutes away and decided to head out on Friday after work (so it would be a little cheaper...skiing isn't exactly a super cheap hobby). We arrived at the hill and I was instantly intimidated. "There is NO way I am going down that" I told Meghan, while looking up at the "bunny hill". She points to the tiny trainer hill and says I know we are going there! haha Sure enough next thing I know there is a seven year old girl flying down this tiny hill past me.

After a few runs down this menacing hill, we hopped on the chair lift to the smaller of the green hills for my first run at real skiing. I have NEVER gone at speeds like this in my life I swear I was going 55 mph and at a reckless pace as well!! Not only did I not go slowly, but I veered toward the steepest part of the hill. I made it though...all the way to the bottom...until I came to the crushing realization that I couldn't stop! Sure enough there was the same seven year old girl in front of me..."Who's fastest now?" I screamed as mowed her down at the bottom of the hill! Okay I didn't take her down...I did however have my first wipeout of the night. I considered it to be a noble act...even a life saving act on my part really!! Though Meghan saw it much differently and came up a moment later laughing histarically at me.

Overall I have to say that skiing was a pretty fun time. I ended up taking a few of the blue hills and realized just how intimidating skiing can be, but also how fun it can be. Heck, I think I only wiped out 3 times all day (not including my wipeout in front of the chair lift...yeah I am one of THOSE guys) so I consider that a pretty good outing. I even figured out how to stop going pretty fast speeds. Meg was SO proud of her man and how he concurred the big hills of Southern Wisconsin!