Favorite News Article: Spiky Condom

Check out the following link about these anti-rape condoms that South African women can buy and wear.

Female Spiked Condom

At first I thought it was a bit over the top, but then later in the article it states that:

"South Africa has one of the highest rape rates in the world, Human Rights 

Watch says on its website. A 2009 report by the nation's Medical Research 

Council found that 28 percent of men surveyed had raped a woman or girl, 

with one in 20 saying they had raped in the past year, according 

to Human Rights Watch." 

Maybe I was too quick to judge this spiky condom! However, I would want to see where these statistics were from and in what areas, but if these women are being raped repeatedly (1/5 within the year!?!) more power to them to protect themselves. This is one article that makes me happy to live in America where I do not have to fear walking home or to work.

Favorite Lunch Spots

We have favorites that we always go to for lunch. If you are ever in the Loop or realize that one of these chains is near the place you work, check them out as they are wonderful!

- Freshii- located in the Equinox building across the street. I recommend the Warrior Chicken Bowl. (who cares that I cannot say warrior that well?!) The food is made with whole grains and they are the better version of Protein Bar, which I think takes like cardboard. I would call ahead because they have a funny system of ordering off the menu where you have to grab a clipboard and write or check off what you would like to eat. This causes major issues for anyone who is not privy to the system and for anyone who is, they get ticked waiting. Plus, it is not very green writing on a piece of paper at every order 


- Au Bon Pain- French bakery and restaurant that has a variety of soups and delicious sandwiches. The bread is always fresh and the desserts are fabulous if you are in the mood. You can go at lunch without a huge crowd and the staff is always helpful and friendly.

- Roti- Mediterranean sandwiches. You can get on pita bread or gyro-style. I love their fresh couscous and dill and yogurt sauce. Roti used to do punch-cards. I am not sure if they still do this as I don't frequent it as much as they changed their bread and it is not as divine), but they used to have a frequent diner's card that you could use to get a free sandwich after a several purchases.

- Potbelly's- This is one of our favorite go-to's when no one can make up their mind. I always get their chicken salad salad that has what else but chicken salad on a bed of greens. They have dried cranberries and their famous bread for croutons. Also, you can get their chocolate shakes that pack in a lot less calories for the same flavor as their malt chocolate shakes (almost). At noon we have to wait about 30 minutes in line so we always fax or call over our order and go right to the front! 

- Rosebud Theatre District- A must have when you are willing to spend about $15-$20 on lunch. We typically will order when someone buys for us like a client or wholesaler. Their chopped salad has baby shrimp and chicken. They also give you bread and parmesan cheese with olive oil to dip it in. We always carry out and they are prompt and on time. Once they forgot to give us an item and I was already a block away and I heard a waitstaff calling my name and running after me. That is service.

- NYC Bagel- This is the chain's second location and I am sure they will have many more. Probably not the healthiest for you, but their sandwich bagels are tasty. They always have fresh Boar's Head meats and include greens, onion, cucumbers and mayo/mustard on any bagel if you order a sandwich. I would go in there because the guys are cool and if you tip, you get a nice "thank you!" shout out by all of them.

Favorite New Activity: Lill Street

Mike bought me art lessons for my birthday this year at Lill Street Art Center which is about two miles north of me around the area of Ravenswood. The classes are for beginners in drawing and painting and I have about seven people in my class. I am on my second class out of four and this week we did black and white drawings, examining the size and shapes of objects in comparison to one another and also testing the grey-scale. I am actually pretty surprised about how well I did on my first one. Check it out! Hopefully this Wednesday I come back with another cool painting to add to my beginner's art gallery (in Mike's second bedroom).

Favorite New Idea: Item on Maddie's Wish List

Favorite Food: T.B.

Need I say more? This blog is titled my favorite things...and one of my MOST favorite things to do with all of my friends is my late night Taco Bell run! I probably actually "only" do it once every few weeks, but there is nothing better than staying up late and coming home with a bag of nachos, cheesy crunchy gorditas and soft tacos. I wake up feeling wonderful (okay-sometimes I have a stomach ache) and I am ready to start my healthy diet once again of normal non- fast food restaurants!

So since it is 3 am and I am eating my TB with Saira tonight- Goodnight and until next time! I look forward to paying the cab driver $10 so I don't have to get out of the car either!!!

Favorite News Article: Oh Canada

Dennis Gartman's daily letter is one that many investors subscribe to on a daily basis. I always enjoy the ending of the letter because it has a new fun fact or observation about the world. This was taken from Wednesday's article:

OH, CANADA! POLITICAL

CORRECTNESS RUN TOTALLY

AMUCK!: And now for a bit of humor on this

rather humorless day, one has to take Canada’s

political correctness with a very large grain of salt for it

has indeed become a land where political correctness

trumps all else. But even for Canada the following

seems to take PC to a new and unique and truly

frightening… even idiotic... level. According to reports,

the Gloucester Dragons Recreational Soccer league

has had a “mercy” win rule in effect that never allowed

a winning team to win by more than 5 goals, apparently

in an attempt to save poor soccer playing children from

the ignominy of being beaten to the proverbial pulp.

We at TGL have never understood the PC rules

regarding “mercy” rule, but then again we were born in

the 50’s, long before political correctness reared its

pathetic head.

Now, however, the GDRS has gone one step beyond

the “mercy” rule and has said that any team winning six

goals or more shall actually lose the game. At first we

thought, “We’ll that settles that: The team with 5 goals

will simply sit back, empty the goal, and let the team

that is behind score a goal or two quickly so that play…

real play … can begin.” We were wrong, for it quickly

dawned on us here that the losing team would instead

swiftly move to kick another goal against themselves

and for the team that is ahead, putting the ball into their

own goal in order to be down by 6 goals and thus win

by losing.

But then we thought, wait, things will become even

worse, for the team then up by 6 goals will go on

“offense” and kick the ball as swiftly as it can into its

goal, scoring for the other team, hoping to bring the

score back to 5 goals so that they actually win the

game, which would then mean that they would go on to

defend their opponents goal from their opponents who

would want to kick the ball into their own goal, with the

team that is leading defending against a goal that

would count in their favor.

This is the politically correct world run amuck, and we

ask simply, can someone not stop these people and

save them from themselves? You cannot make this

stuff up? Really, you can’t. It is just not possible. Truth

trumps fiction almost every single time.

Favorite Prayer: (not) Saint Theresa's Prayer

My mom reminded me of this prayer or intercession I guess you would actually call it. It has actually been passed around the internet for quite some times. Some people claim it to be Saint Therese, others Theresa, but either way, the prayer was never written by either of these women. It doesn't matter to me though and I wanted to share it because I think it is still beautiful and a nice reflection:

May today there be peace within.

May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.

May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.

May you use those gifts that you have received and pass on the love that has been given to you

May you be content knowing you are a child of God.

Let this presence settle into your bones and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.

It is there for each and every one of us.

Favorite Activities: Weekend Bliss

I had a fun and relaxing weekend with enough activities to keep me busy and enough sleep to make me content. Mike, Alessandra and I were the only ones hanging out in Chicago this past weekend so we had lots of bonding time.

We watched the Blackhawk's game both Friday and Sunday night. Sunday night was obviously a lot better than Friday!! Mike and I had drinks and dinner at Sports Corner, which we ended up cutting short as there was a birthday party there and the attendees were NOT watching the game. Everyone out on the patio could not believe it.

On Saturday, we woke up and went to the Mustache Bash to benefit Children's Memorial Hospital. Since Alessandra got sick, it was just Mike & I again. We have decided that as a couple, it is lame to go on bar crawls with only one another as no one ever comes up to you and everyone is already in huge groups. Therefore, after an hour and a half of pure bliss with my stache, we left to eat at Dag's for pizza. The night ended with watching The Blind Side. The movie was kinda sappy, but very good. I loved Sandra Bullock in it, but I do question whether the Oscar and all of the other awards she won were necessarily earned. It seemed more that she was a good actress that got an amazing script. She did not make the story for me; the story line did.

On Sunday, we had to go to a funeral for one of Mike's doctors he calls on wife (did that make sense?). It was one of the most beautiful funerals I have attended and I know that I will go into detail following, but I have never seen anything like this. The wife had died suddenly of a heart attack while working out and was only in her early 60s at the latest. The husband, Mike's doctor, truly loved his wife. She worked reception and was always smiling and cheerful and the doctor just adored her to pieces. Her dying broke his heart so he decided to pay tribute by building a pure Italian granite mausoleum at Rosehill Cemetery in Chicago. Leading up to the door of it is a rock path he built with plants and flowers he planted. There is also imported stain glass. As if that wasn't enough, he orchestrated a ceremony which had a religious ritual in the main area of the cemetery, which afterwards, the wife's casket was carried onto a carriage drawn by two white horses and a man with a top hat. Think Cinderella. Following the casket were two women playing violins and then the procession of approximately 150-300 people. When we arrived at her mausoleum, the ceremony continued with food, a ten-string band and a woman singer who sounded amazing. It was honestly beautiful. And the greatest part was that it rained for about ten minutes and then became beautiful again. It was just so symbolic of new life and all the other stories I have heard again and again in religious class. Everyone loved this woman and she effected so many people in a positive manner. Thanks to her husband she had a gorgeous ceremony fit for a queen, but it was the hundreds of people who attended who really made the event special.

We ended the day with the dog park and the Blackhawk's game and that was my weekend! So full of fun thanks to my buddies and so full of thanks due to the funeral I attended. I only hope to be remembered as nicely as she was.

Bucket List of Chicago

Since I officially move from Chicago on August 1st, I am creating a bucket list for myself. I know that Alessandra has some things of her own since she is truly leaving Chicago and the U.S. for that matter. I figure if I don't get things done I will at least be back every couple of weeks to visit Michael, Saira, Sarah and all of my other friends here!

So here is my list this far. Let me know if you think I should add anything.

1. Go to the Chicago History Museum
2. Go up to the Sears (Willis) Tower and go on the SkyDeck.
3. Take a picture outside of Wrigley Field. (This should be easy since I live about 2 minutes away.
4. Eat at Superdawg Drive-In.
5. Shop at the local farmer's market in Lincoln Park.
6. Go to Chinatown to eat at our favorite restaurant which I never remember the name of.
7. Have a picnic on the lake.
8. Go see a movie in the park. Granted, it won't be Grant Park since supposedly that costs $62,500 a week to put on, but we can go to one of the smaller parks around!
9. Go back to Loyola for one awesome walk around and possibly mass.
10. Bikeride more!!! Try not to complain about the humidity and start enjoying the wonder that I can get most anywhere on two wheels.

Wow- and it is time for me to publish this as chicago just scored its THIRD goal on the Flyers. HA! So excited :)

Favorite Sports: Galarraga's imPerfect Game

I am not a huge baseball fan, but I do love my Tiger's. I was as upset as anyone this morning watching the replays continuously streaming of Donald, Galarraga and Joyce. But I was even more very disappointed by the Commissioner's refusal to reverse the call on yesterday's game. EVERYONE could see that Donald was out at first after a ground ball; everyone that is, but the one person who mattered, Joyce.

Joyce, who was my arch enemy for a few hours this afternoon, is actually an ump in his twenty-second year in the league. He is very well respected and I have to admit that I even still think he is a decent human being after watching his interviews after the game. It was a bad call and he admitted it. There was and is nothing more that he could do other than admit that and apologize. However, his bad call did cost Galarraga his perfect game, what would have been the 21st perfect game in the history of baseball. Selig, the commissioner of the baseball league, had the opportunity to reverse the call, but then opted not to...and that is where my fury with him and baseball in general starts. The league refuses to move the game into the 21st century.

All of the players obviously have. With each month comes a new player who admits to having used steroids during one of their peak and record-breaking years. It is outrageous that players like Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, Mark McGwire and hundreds of others take advantage of the latest drugs and technologies, but when it comes to allowing plays to be reviewed with technological advances, people storm away saying baseball should remain as is and untouched.

So there is my rant. I will leave baseball for all those old school folk out there who love the American game and what it stands for. I know many people who love the game and whose heart rates skip a beach watching the bases become loaded or a base stolen. For me though, I will sit through one baseball game, preferably at Comerica Park, and cheer for my Tiger's because I love Detroit sports, but the only time my heart may start racing is when I hear that the game is changing with the times. Galarraga, you deserve that perfect game and definitely the Corvette you got today. I will be watching out for it on Woodward Ave.

Favorite News Article: Sandra-please nooo

I was just online and there on AOL's headlines was the article "Why Sandra Should Reunite With Jesse". Are you serious?! Firstly, why are we even questioning after she filed for divorce and moved away with their adopted son that she would then reconsider and get back together with him? Secondly, seriously? I cannot see a valid argument and thankfully, when I clicked on the link, it was just a blog posted by an aspiring author telling of her story of her husband's infidelity and why she stayed with him.

The site came at a funny time as I went to lunch with a coworker of mine who is probably in her 50s. It was interesting because we somehow got on the subject of her life and she was saying that she was married once, long ago, but that when she was in her early 20s, her husband cheated on her when they had just had their daughter. She immediately left him and ironically, he married one of the multiple lovers he had had when he was married. I give her major props because she is so happy now as a single and successful woman and her daughter is better for it too I am sure. There is such a committment that comes with starting a family and a home life, in addition to the relationship two people have, that I find it very sad when women (or men) are not strong enough to realize when their marriage has failed. This goes back to my Emily Giffin blog as well. Don't read too much into that statement if you ever want to read the book, but there is one not-so-strong woman as a main "heroine".

Anyways, I am going to keep watching this crazy hockey game. The Flyers just almost won in the first OT so we will see if the Hawks can pull it off. Keep Arpena in your prayers as she is still struggling at Beaumont to pull off a strong turnaround after her hip surgery and infection. I saw her this weekend and she looked well, but she hasn't made any effective progress as each good day she has, another bad day follows.

Favorite Moments: Swim Party

Colleen, Michael, Jack, Meghan and Nolan all came over on Sunday for a fun pool day in the sun. We had such a blast and it was great catching up with everyone. It is so funny to see how much kids grow each year and the pool has really provided us an opportunity to measure each kids changes. Jack now completely swims by himself. He was going off the diving board doing partial dives. Partial because he puts his hands in a diving angle, but then jumped in feet first! Meghan is in the water and putting her head under the water. she won't let go of the side, but she will go around the shallow end playing. Well, then there is Nolan. He isn't even one and he was splashing and playing around in his baby float. Mike put him up on the side of the pool and then Nolan would push himself off into Mike's arms. I have attached the video below. So cute.



Tommy had a nice time hanging with Nolan as well. The obsession started when Nolan threw up on his milk causing me to gag and Tommy to rejoice. He licked it off Nolan's finger, shirt and face as if it was chicken sauce. After that, it was love. Nolan would poke Tommy's paws causing Tommy to bark causing Nolan to laugh and do it again. Then came feeding time when Nolan threw off his macoroni and cheese so that Tommy would come around and eat it. Wherever the baby was, Tommy followed.

Hopefully when I am home in July the kids (and Colleen and Mike) will come again. I love my days spent with them and always look forward to their annual trip to Chicago or when I can come visit the home to catch up on life inside the Ritter family and the new events in their lives.