en español por favor

The other day I worked (at my part-time job) with Anabel, a Mexico native, who was talking with some customers in Spanish. Hearing her talk with them made me realize the importance of knowing more than one language. Granted, I know a little French and a few words in German, but I rarely get to use it and my comprehension is not even close to conversational.

I thought about expanding my knowledge of German or French, but I think Spanish would ultimately be much more practical and I would be able to practice it a lot more. Plus, I have tons of friends that already speak it, I could use it at work, and I’ve even been thinking about going to Barcelona next year to see the architecture of Antonio Gaudi (my all time favorite architect). Not to mention, after looking at countless job ads, I’ve noticed a lot of them are for bilingual positions or encourage Spanish speaking individuals to apply.

I’ve download a couple of online course for my iPod, bought a book with helpful words/phrases, and I’ve even had a few people offer to teach me. However, I think I need something more solid. Needless to say I’ve been searching for a course that is near my apartment, inexpensive, and convenient. I think I finally found something, and I’ll be starting class soon. fantástico!

Peas & Bananas

Yahoo! My friend Anthony is hooking me up with a free ticket to see Black Eye Peas and Gwen Stefani tomorrow. I haven’t seen a concert since Madonna, so I can’t wait to see Gwen go bananas!

"this shit is bananas

B-A-N-A-N-A-S"

Free Lunch!

Yesterday I took a trip up to CB corporate with a couple of the other Deuce managers for training on our new POS system. The new system itself is pretty cool and very intuitive, so training associates should be a snap. I was excited to go back to Corporate, because I know so many of the people there, and they provided lunch as a part of the training. I totally pigged out...I got a Turkey club, soup, salad, and brownie dessert topped with frosting (YUM!).

After the training one of the furniture buyers for my store took us on a tour of the CB sample room. The sample room is where the decisions are made whether or not a product is suitable to roll out to the stores. It’s a very large space, filled with plates, lamps, tables, vases, and pretty much anything you can imagine that would go into your home. It was cool to get a sneak peek of what’s coming up, and what they have in store (no pun intended) for next fall or holidays.

As the buyer was getting our feedback on some new products a group of merchandise management students from Iowa came in for a site visit. They met with the cb2 team and were learning about the concept, and the daily life of a merchant. The students seemed so excited to be there and really into what the buyers were saying, which made me feel kind of cool too. I mean I’m already pretty cool, but seeing the excitement on the student's faces just gave me a greater sense of pride in cb2 and what I do...even if it's part-time.

White Sox end 88-year drought, sweep Astros to win World Series

well, the White Sox may "suck" as someone recently mentioned...but they're now sucky ass World Series Champions! (hee hee)

Congrats Mike R:-)

Sorry Greg R.

Are those fireworks or gunshots I hear in the distance... oh wait...south siders? yeah, i think we know the answer to that one.

That bitch Wilma!

Well it looks like my trip to Florida has been interrupted by Hurricane Wilma. Not only has the location changed, but the dates too. Now I’m heading to Ft. Lauderdale, and considering the circumstances I’ve bumped my leave date to early November. I've been told that where I'm staying is more entertaining than the South Beach strip, and by time I leave I'll need a break from the chill of Chicago. However, even when I get down there, it’s unlikely that things will be back to any kind of normalcy-- especially after seeing the pictures.

I’m so glade I live in the US-Midwest where we don’t have to deal with hurricanes, earthquakes, mud slides, tornados, Tsunami, or major disasters like they have in other regions of the world. Sure we have crappy weather that changes every five minutes and maybe a bad snow storm here and there, but in the larger scheme of things…we have it good.

Screw it, I’m still going…hurricane or not and I'm going to have a good time. It might even be fun to take up a little surfing while I'm down there...

Second City's, Second Coming...

OK, I’m completely talking out of my ass right now, mainly because I know so little about major league baseball. However, the excitement of the Chicago White Sox being in the World Series has set this city on FIRE and baseball fan or not you cannot ignore it. There are signs in EVERY bar, banners up-and-down the streets of Chicago, and even the AON building had “Go Sox” spelled out between the floors.

Last year around this time I sat with my roommate, Jeff who’s a huge Boston Red Sox fan, watching the World Series. It was almost humorous watching how intense he got over the game, although he had good reason. The game was significant to him, because the Sox hadn’t won a World Series in 86 years. However, throughout years of disappointment and struggle Sox fans cheered on and they were rewarded with the 2004 title.

Does fait have the same thing in store for our boys at US Cellular Field? It’s been 46 years since the last time the White Sox were in the World Series, and not since 1917 did they actually win it. Could there be second coming, of sorts, for the Sox? Tonight they play game three with Houston having the home field advantage. We shall see if the south siders can keep their cool and pull it off.

I wish I had my “I’ll mess with Texas” shirt, I’d wear it.

By the way, Nike had an awesome commercial last year for Fenway Park/Boston Red Sox…I still get goose bumps watching it: http://www.nike.com/usa/justdoit/v2/index.jhtml

Pong's Fortune

The other day I took myself out on a date to one best Pan Asian restaurants in Lakeview—Ping Pong on Broadway. I sat at the bar area staring at the Gold fish and watching people one-by-one come in for pick-up. It was dead, so the staff (Birdy and Goff) were extra chatty, which made for a good time. Goff even started doing a little ballet, which was so funny it almost made me choke on my sesame seed chicken.

I think that's one of the biggest reasons why I’m so in love with Lakeview, because I can walk out of my apartment and run into people I know or in this case go to a restaurant by myself and never really feel alone.

As I was leaving they gave me a chocolate fortune cookie, which are always a good after dinner treat. However, this time I hope the fortune really comes true--and soon! Here's the actual fortune:

On my iPod

Whether in the gym or jiving (yes, white boys can jive) down the street, these are the songs that are rocking my world right now. Doing the digital spin on my iPod, these are my favorites (in order):

1. Hung Up (Radio Edit)-Madonna
2. Without You (MASH Club Mix)- Mary Griffin
3. Method of Mondern Love- Hall & Oates
4. Creep- TLC
5. One World (Chris Cox Club Remix)- Kelly Osbourne
6. Don’t Stop ‘Till You Get Enough- Michael Jackson

Tagged

Rules:

1. go into your archives
2. find your 23rd post
3. find the fifth sentence (or closest to it)
4. post the text of your sentence in your blog along with these rules
5. tag five other people.

ok, so here's mine....

"Are we so programmed to want bigger and better, that we pass up those smaller things that may lead to something greater and more meaningful?"

i tag...
I don't know 5 bloggers.

Worse job ever?

finding a job!

Employtroy.com (preview or waste of time)

I've been working on a couple of different websites, but the one that I seem to be having the biggest issue with is my own. However after a late night work session, this lastest design came to me. It's still in the works, but here's a preview:

Chicago White Sox & World Series Tickets

Are you kidding me? People would really refinance their homes and pay $5,000 for tickets just to see this game? Gawd, this isn't Madonna!

In all seriousness…although I’m not a big White Sox fan, or baseball for that matter, it is exciting to have a Chicago team be in the World Series. I might even watch a couple of the games!

Ref: http://cbs2chicago.com/topstories/local_story_292225015.html

I'm with Stupid-->

I'm seriously addicted to this site: http://www.stupidvideos.com

Boo! Halloween in Chicago

Halloween is right around the corner and as invites to parties start coming through, I’ve been putting some thought into my costume. I have this problem every year, and always end up stuck with some stupid ass costume that I whipped-up at the last minute.

What happened? When I was a little kid it was so easy, I had tons of ideas and then my Mom took care of the rest. We would spend weeks, sometimes months coming up with ideas or looking at costumes. However it usually ended up with a trip to Kmart for a cheap plastic costume-in-a-bag that I inevitably ripped every year. One year my mom decided to be cute and dressed me up as a little old lady, man I was so embarrassed…but I got the last laugh on that one! *Love ya ma! Kisses!* :-D

When I got into high school and college, Halloween suddenly was less about the candy and more about getting tanked at some under aged party…screw the costume. If you did wear a costume it had to follow certain criteria: 1) cheap! Typically something from my closet that I didn’t wear or a trip to the Goodwill, 2) no messy make-up, 3) comfortable and drunk resistant, 4) easily removed (get your mind out of the gutter you dirty perverts).

By the time I made my way down to Chicago, everything changed. Everyone here seems to put so much more time and effort into their costumes. Especially for the Halsted Halloween Parade, which I’ve seen grow from just a few people walking down the sidewalk to thousands of people taking up the entire street from Belmont to Addison. At the parade you see everything (literally) from boys/girls wearing scandalous outfits (dig those folks), political costumes (tons of George Bushes), scary ghosts and gremlins, humorous and goofy getups, adorable little kids, and pets even get dressed-up as little bats or other fun costumes. I love it!

My last Halloween outfit was a “cracked-out robot waitress from outer space”, but can you believe no one knew what I was? Hello! This year, I’m determined to put a little more thought and effort into my costume or become a zombie trying. Question is, do I want to be something spooky-SCRAARRRRY, funny, political, or maybe go for the sexy look and show some skin? Oh the insanity!

If all else fails I’ll probably go as a little old lady.

No Pod for this Pea

Enough said!

Finding the German Within: Vocab Lesson

Discovering my German roots has been a fun adventure. Recently my Deutsch sister, Simone, taught me a few phrases and words. Perfect for daddy macin' at da club. Das ist gut!

German = English

• Hallo = Hello
• Wie gehts? = How are you?
• Was verclienst du? = How much do you make?
• du siehst gut aus! = You are handsome!
• noch ein bier = Another drink! ( you know the answer for me will always be "bitte!")
• zu mir oder zu dir? = My house or yours?
• wo ist die toilette? = where's the bathroom?
• Hast du einen kaugummi? = Do you have gum?
• Wo ist meine hose? = Where are my pants? (a really good one to know!)
• Wo bin ich? = Where am I?
• Frühstück? = Breakfast?
• hier meine Telefonnummer = Here's my phone number
• Ruf mich au! = call me!
• Tschüss = Good bye!

mazel tov

Monday is the big day and I can’t sleep because I'm too nervous about the interview. I hate interviews, because you have to show how cool you are and that you’re going to rock their freakin’ world! What if I say something stupid or fart or have something in my teeth when I smile or they don’t like my tie. The EL better not be late tomorrow!

I talked with my parents this weekend and they all wished me luck. My friends are behind me, and I think I'm ready. However, I'm still a little sick and not feeling 100%.

Wait, what am I talking about... I'm one talented and hard working dude...I'm perfect for this position, I own this interview! *blows nose*

Oh, merde!

If Madonna Calls, I’m in Miami

It looks like my luck is changing. Today, I caught up with an old friend on MSN and upon hearing I was laid off, he offered to bring me to Miami for a weekend retreat.

Ummm, OK!

I’m already gearing up for the long weekend of hot clubs, beautiful people, tons of attitude, and a little sun. I just might not come back. Man, this is going to ROCK!

Title: "If Madonna Calls" a remix by Junior Vasques

Yahoo! An INTERVIEW!!!

YAHOO!!! FINALLY!!

I need to prep! Iron my best shirt! Get a haircut! Go tanning! Brush my teeth! Workout!

I’m so excited… YES!!


Go Troy, Go Troy...It's your brithday! It's your brithday!


Today is a F*#&ing GREAT DAY!!

Venturing Outside the Pond

Chicago’s unemployment rate keeps rising and jobs seem to more and more scarce. In loom of the circumstances, my job search has taken on a new direction and I am now pursuing opportunities outside of Chicago. Although my top choice remains Chicago, I’m strongly considering relocation to Seattle, San Francisco or Los Angeles, and a few cities on the East Coast.

A part of me just wants to point to somewhere on the map, pack up, and move…who knows, I might just do it.