We're on our way home...

The good news is in: I've officially completed a contract on a townhome. It's in Aurora. 2 bedrooms, 1 1/2 bathrooms, 2 car garage. It's a nice place. It needs new carpet, a paint job and some work. But it's a good start. All friends are welcome to stay when they come to Chicago. Just let me know ahead of time, if you could. Thanks...

Thoughts while watching the NFL draft...

Wow, the Houstan Texans are stupid. I can understand on possibly passing on Reggie Bush because he's not an every down back. He's a faster, taller version of Michael Westbrook. But not for Super Mario Williams. I just don't get it. He's not consistant by any means. Half of his sacks came in 6 games. I know that I'm just repeating the talking heads and what they're saying, but wow. I can't believe that the draft people could actually convince themselves that they made the right pick. Oh well.

- Quote from Caleb: After hearing that the Broncos traded up to get Jay Cutler - "Just hearing that makes me want to get into a fight."

I didn't get to start watching the draft until 3:45, so the first round was pretty much over. The good news? I get to watch the second round. Happy days.

So what did the Bears do? Well, they started with trading their first round pick for a second and a third. Wow...that means nothing. Their first pick was a guy who came from a school I've never heard of, a school that hasn't had a draft pick since 1983. That certainly doesn't help. So far, I'm giving them a D. It could be worse (they could have grabbed another crappy halfback), but still, who makes these decisions. And why is that the Bears draft the worst possible guy virtually every year? Curtis Enis? Cade "Spouge" McNown? Cedric "Curtis Enis II" Benson? How about the wonderful career of Marc Columbo? Yeah, the Bears suck at drafting people.

Jaws is dumb. I have to say this. He's possibly the worst talking head on ESPN. I'm not going to knock his knowledge but he can't pull off the hip look that's he's going for. Plus he was a crappy quarterback. So I'm not really sure why he's there.

I miss the Madden commercials with Ray Lewis. Those were of the highest quality. Also, the LeBron James ESPN commercial where he asks about the chair is pretty good.

A bad idea from Nicorette: Start chewing, start smoking. I know that they're talking about their gum and it's better to chew the gum than smoke, but that advertisment could be for chewing tabacco. Misleading anyone???

Keep on the love train, love train. Ack! Please stop making those crappy Coors Light commercials. Nobody drinks during their 15 minute break. They just can't get away with it. Yet we're supposed to believe that an entire construction crew will end up stopping the road work to drink a case of Coors Light. Cheers to the bride...

Wow...ABC is giving everyone the chance to watch a guy named David Blaine hold his breath for 9 minutes. They've allocated 2 hours for this exciting program...see you there.

I don't know who decided that it was a good idea to market the draft as if it were a fashion show, but it wasn't exactly a great idea. The draft, is more of a guys watching, drinking a beer sort of thing and the only reason guys would watch a fashion show is that they're way into fashion or because there's a lot of beautiful women there. And there aren't many beautiful women involved with a draft. Sorry, it's just not a good fit. Maybe next year they can toss on some Tom Petty so we can have a musical misfit too.

Alright, I'm done complaining. Cheers to the bride (maybe I'll keep this line...)

It's all I can do...

I have two sets of friends getting married this summer. And while this isn't really much of a surprise, it is the first time any of the people that I knew are getting married. Strange, considering that I'm going to be 26 this year. I guess I thought it happen a bit quicker but I find myself completely unprepared. I spent at least an hour last night staring at the ceiling when I should have been sleeping, thinking about it. My friend Cassie is ready to be married and Em and Daniel certainly seem incredibly happy together, so I'm not really surprised by either of them tying the knot. And I hope it comes off perfectly for them. But it does reflect how different my situation is to..., well, everyone else. I don't think I'm ready to get married any time soon and I can see no one that I'd like to get married to right now anyway. I can't even see anyone that I'm ready to date and yet it's springtime and people are hooking up all around me. This makes me feel strange, like I'm doing something wrong, but I don't feel like that's true. I know that I'm a decent looking guy and I have some good qualities to offset the poor ones, but I don't see anything changing for me any time soon. The last couple of girls I've asked out were either seeing someone or just plain wrong for me. And while this probably benefits me in the long run, it kind of sucks. Well, it really sucks. I'd like to find someone and I hate feeling like it's too much to ask. I've been patient long enough and despite the fact that this comes off as a desparate plee, it's really not. To quote John Mayer (I know, I know!) "I'm tired of being alone, so hurry up and get here." Well, we're waiting... (That's a little Judge Smails for ya...)

While I was typing this, Windows was updating my computer and continually kept sending me an update suggesting I restart my computer so that Windows could finish its update. Don't let you panties get in a twist there Billy, I'll be right with you. When I'm done.

When you hold me in your arms so tight...

Things crossing my mind while listening to I'm Hooked on a Feeling:

I'm hooked on a feeling, I'm high on believing that you're in love with me...

- Preparing for a trip to CoMo during the weekend of the 19th. (no, not this next week but next month.) Will be seeing Mr. Ostrander, which should be fun. I'm not really sure how his apartment will be looking, but that's part of the fun. Hopefully Miri will be ok for the trip. She's been acting a slight bit strange lately. Miri, in case you wanted to know, is my lovely orange car.

- IRA Day, which was today, sucks hardcore for bankers. Not a whole lotta fun. And yes, I have been listening to a lot of Led Zeppelin, hence the whole lotta. But anyway, IRA day. I spent most of the day answering questions about IRAs and then proceeding to open them. The most frequent question, you ask? Well, it comes from people who don't know what a Roth IRA is and think they can go ahead and write it off on the their taxes. While the Roth is a lovely product, you cannot write it off on your taxes. End of discussion. Unfortunately, some guy thought he could and he swears his tax advisor said it'd be ok. Well, I said to him, you are more than welcome to open up a Roth IRA today, just don't be all pissed at the bank when the IRS comes to visit you and asks you what's up with your taxes. Ok, so I didn't say that. But I definitely thought it. Between the images of me banging my head against the pillar near my desk. Ack. IRA season, thank god your over.

- Evidently, Dan Brown's wife is named Blythe. That threw me for a loop. I was pretty sure that I lived in a one-Blythe universe and there could be no other with that name. Well, I guess not. Blythe Brown, no matter what you do, you will always be inferior to the Blythe I know and love. Sorry, but there's nothing you can do to take the thrown. It's over. Just change your name to Susie and move on.

- I'm playing on a softball team this summer. We're trying to give everyone on the team nicknames. Thus far, about half of the team has been assigned something, including a young man who's nickname is Pepto. Yours truly has the current nickname of Pumpkin. Perhaps my obsession with orange isn't paying the dividends I was hoping for.

- Easter tomorrow. A new beginning. Which is what Easter is all about. That and bunnies with eggs. It is most definitely an excellent combination. Well, time to head out for a little while. Enjoy yourself, compadres.

Youth is wasted on the young...

The winner of our weekly contest: movie star. Seems that people would rather sell out than rock out. Or something.

Seems like the first time in a long time where I don't really have a crush on anyone. I don't know how other people do it, but I normally walk around with feelings for someone. Lately, there really hasn't been any one particular person and I'm not sure if this makes me nervous. I enjoy the fact that anyone could come into my life tomorrow and I'd definently have room for them. That's nice. Considering all the times I've blown it, it's always great to know that it's never too late to find someone. My friend Amy told me I needed to find a girlfriend and then asked the obligatory "are you even looking?" question that seems to follow me around like a lost puppy. The best answer that I've come up with thus far: "Of course I'm looking. It just seems like no one's looking back." I know that this connects to my stupidest fear, which is ending up alone. It feels like I've had that fear for longer than I can remember and I think my problem stems from my adherance to a schedule of some sort. I've always liked the idea of knowing where you are going all the time and now that almost all of my future has no path that I can see, I find myself in an ackward position. I've never been extremely flexible with what I'm doing or where I'm going, which is probably why I end up pushing people away. It's not that I don't want to change, I just have a really hard time doing it. I know that's probably what's ended most of the relationships I've ever been in. My stubborness certainly doesn't help. But I don't want to be anybody other than me and if I'm not comfortable doing whatever it is the other person asks, then I'm not going to have a good time anyway.

House hunting is tougher than I thought it would be. I've seen a few that were pretty good. Nothing absolutely spectacular. A lot of crap. Some fair to middlin'. A few good ones. Good thing I've still got 2 months to find something. Well, until the sun rises, dream well my friends.

Say Hello, Wave Goodbye

You and I had to be the standing joke of the year...

Whilst the above song is a sad song, it happens to be playing right now and I figured I'd toss it on there. The artist, as par usual these days for me, is David Gray. Personally, I'm not feeling all that bad. Though I wouldn't mind singing that song for some of the people I've dated; I doubt they would appreciate it and I'm pretty sure that the point would be missed. Maybe I'd miss it. Or maybe I just never got it.

Anyway, there's a survey question going around the bank right now, courtesy of yours truly and I invite you, dear reader to take part. Which would you prefer to be: a Rock (music) star (pick the genre) or a movie star? Why would you pick that? The best answers so far:

Chad (a guy from upstairs) - Rock star because there are more chicks.
Elyse & Ashley (virtually at the same time) - Movie star because you get to make out with the hot actors.
Jackie - Rock star because I'd to have control over what I produce and the artistic freedom that comes with it. Also, when you make out with the hot guys, they tend to stay yours and not walk away when the film is done.

Thus far, movie star is beating rock star like your mom did when you stole something. It's 14-8, with most girls choosing movie star and most guys choosing rock star. I'll reveal the final tally on Sunday.