Uncle Hal's Wake

Last Friday, I went to the wake of my Great-Uncle Hal. It was good to spend time remembering him with my family and extended family. At the wake, I re-acquainted myself with Uncle Hal’s children and grandchildren (my second cousins), and through visiting his living legacy I gained an even greater respect for his life. My kind second cousins invited me to dine with them on Saturday evening at Shaw’s Crab House in the Loop; I was glad to join them and get to know my own extended family a little better, while also taking the time to share my one significant memory of Uncle Hal with some of his children and grandchildren. As I told the story below, they shared with me that Uncle Hal loved and missed my grandfather very much, and they were sure he was delighted to have helped me with my Swedish adventure. I think it was good for all of us to share our memories and our love of family. I pray that they are finding peace with the loss of a great man, father and grandfather. With that said, my memory of Uncle Hal follows:

Good Luck Kid
About this time last year I was greatly looking forward to my first trip to Sweden. I was going to be working for two weeks in Falun, three hours west and north from Stockholm. Since my great-great grandparents came over from Sweden in the 1880s, I wanted to see what I could learn about them so that I might visit their place of origin.

I went to visit my Grandma Dorothy to ask her what she knew about my Grandpa Charles’ Swedish grandparents. She knew their names and not much else, but she referred me to Grandpa Charles’ older brother, Uncle Hal. Now, Grandpa Charles passed away shortly after I was born and I had met his brothers only a few times in my life, so I was a little nervous, but I did call my 85 year-old great-uncle and left a message explaining who I was and what information I was hoping he might have. I thought that even if he never called me back, it was good to have asked.

A few days later I was at The Palacio with some friends and just about to leave for Chinatown when my cell phone rang. I didn’t recognize the number, but I answered.

“Hi Tim? This is your Uncle – Great Uncle – whatever – Hal,” my Uncle Hal said, “I understand you’re looking for information on our Swedish roots?”

He went on to rattle off the names of several of our common ancestors and then he assured me that he would send all of the same information by mail that day. He also referred me to a second cousin who had done further research. He then asked me what I was doing now that Arthur Andersen collapsed, expressing his lament for the way Andersen imploded. Finally, we spoke of the details of my approaching Swedish journey.

Now, the conversation lasted about five or ten minutes, but I was impressed with how lucid and engaged my 85 year-old uncle was. He somehow knew something about my career though we were not that close or closely related. I began to realize that my short experience with his older brother was a taste of what it might have been like to know my own Grandpa Charles.

I enjoyed every moment that we spoke, and, more than anything, I cherished his closing remark. He closed our conversation by saying, “good luck kid!” It wasn’t so much that those words were new or profound, it was much more the gentle and sincere way that he said those words that sent my spirit soaring. I was just a ‘kid,’ but I was a kid who went with the blessing and support of this wise man, who undoubtedly saw a slice of his own brother in me. My journey to Sweden suddenly took on new meaning; I would gain greater understanding of those who came before me, while at the same time paying homage to those whose legacy I was continuing.

Two days after our conversation, and just as Uncle Hal promised, I received an envelope full of genealogical information. My second cousin also came through with information going back 3 generations from my emigrant Swedish ancestors. I went to Sweden and spent the better part of a rainy Saturday in the bucolic province of Östergötland, roaming the churches and graveyards in charming towns such as Tjarstad and Kisa, which were home to my ancestors more than 115 years before.

During that trip and for the rest of my life, I will remember those kind and simple words, “Good luck kid.” And I will always cherish my brief yet sincere encounter with Uncle Hal. He was one of those great men who rightfully earned his place as a member of the Greatest Generation. Unfortunately, I only have this brief memory of him, but that brief memory is something I will carry with me forever, as a glimpse of my own grandfather and the love that bonded him with his brother, and, surely, it was our common love of family that translated into such quick affinity between me and my Uncle Hal.

Thanks Uncle Hal, for taking the time and adding to my life. Here’s to a great man.

Bike the Drive

This morning Mark and I were among the thousands of cyclists who rode bikes down Lake Shore Drive. We started at Grant Park, went to 57th Street, stopped at The Original Pancake House for breakfast, and then returned. My new bicycle is working out well, and I've even come up with a name for her, Ridda (short for Ingrid). I hope that Ridda and I will see much more of Chicago's streets and lake paths this summer!


Mark and me at Chicago's Bike the Drive on Sunday.

Too much to do!

I got back to The Palacio last night at about 9:00 PM. I showered and went out to meet friends at Union Park in the West Loop to celebrate Mark's recent promotion. (Sorry Katie, his gathering was an El ride away, much safer than trying to drive a car to Flossmoor after an 8 hour flight!)

This morning at work I didn't accomplish much more than my expense report. Of course, I did get briefed (that sounds cool doesn't it?) on next week's project in México. I also told my bosses what they needed to know about the UK projects, and then I celebrated our first Friday of Summer Hours!!

I left at 1:00 PM, went to a doctor's appointment (to test my cholesterol), then got back in time to freshen up for my Uncle Hal's wake.

Anyway, I have yet to start unpacking from the UK or packing for Mexico. Kevin did agree to help me put my bicycle together tomorrow morning, so it looks like some things will work out.

So much for relaxing this weekend!

New Blogger on the Scene

My younger cousin Amy just began a blog, and I'm quite excited about it. She recently graduated college and commences with her first after-college job in early June. If I think hard enough, I can remember that phase of life, and I recall it quite fondly. Anyway, should any of you be interested in her life out in South Carolina, just read about it in her blog.

Just got on the internet -- I'm going to Mexico!

Breaking News – Mexico !
Each day in London we have been sitting in a different conference room. Today we sat in a room that included a big screen computer monitor, wireless keyboard and wireless mouse. Importantly, the computer also included internet!

Anyway, using this technology, I checked my email only to find a message from my manager: "Call me immediately." I had a hunch that the message related to a recent incident in Mexico, and, after talking to my manager, I found out that I will be going to Mexico City this Tuesday morning!

I must be honest, this is exciting! I'll still come to Chicago in time for a busy Memorial Day weekend that will hopefully include golfing with my brother and riding my new bicycle with Mark for Chicago's Bike the Drive event. (Of course, I still need to put my bicycle together, so Kevin, if you read this, I may need some help). And on Tuesday morning I'll be off to Mexico City, a city that I have recently grown very fond of.

Dinner on the town
Other than that, today was a good day at work, punctuated by a superb French dinner at St. Quentin on a recommendation from Uncle Tom. I declined the foie gras, but I did enjoy a nice red mullet and some Spanish (hey, Rioja is close enough to Bordeaux) wine to match it. It was a good change of pace from my previously Asian dominated diet.

That wraps up today's news from London.

First Day of Work in London

Out of Contact
¡Our office is without internet access! ¡It is surprisingly difficult to not be plugged in! ¿What did people ever do before email? But I can't deny that I smiled most of the day from the moment I joined the mad dash of people riding the Tube to work, to the moment I looked out the window of my office at 6:00 and decided I had to get back out to the hubbub of city commuting.

After Work
After work today I had wanted to either see a play by García Lorca, Blood Wedding, or Mamma Mia or Guys and Dolls at half price. Unfortunately, Blood Wedding was sold out for the month (on top of being a famous play, it also boasts Gael García Bernal, of The Motorcycle Diaries fame, as a member of its cast). Both Mamma Mia and Guys and Dolls were unreasonably priced. So, we resorted to eating yet another fine Indian meal. I could get used to this.

After dinner I went in search of the full moon. Unfortunately, London's clouds prevented a clear view, but I still enjoyed some great evening views of Big Ben's clocktower and the Houses of Parliament before I headed back to my hotel room.

Weekend in London

Thursday
We (my coworker and I) went to a nice Italian restaurant in Windsor last Thursday called Castello. I had an avocado filled with prawns for a starter, and then baked eggplant for the main course. We shared a bottle of Australian Shiraz/Cabernet, and then we bid farewell to Windsor one last time.

Friday -- Avril Lavigne
Earlier last week, one of my coworkers mentioned that Avril Lavigne was performing in London this weekend. As some of you know, Avril Lavigne is one of my 'guilty pleasures.' Needless to say, I was very excited about possibly seeing her live

After checking in at our London hotel on Friday, we headed straight to the venue, the London Apollo. Upon arrival, we saw a queue that stretched for several blocks, but we weren't dismayed. We negotiated with a scalper for two tickets at £10 less than face value per ticket. That amounted to £17.50 per ticket. ¡¡¡And we were in!!!

The concert was great. I was singing along and laughing out loud most of the time. As "Sk8er Boi" came on, I nearly guffawed myself to tears! ... Can I make it anymore obvious?

Saturday
I woke up early to find breakfast near Chinatown, then did a little shopping and headed to Westminster Abbey. I bucked up and paid the £8 to get in the Abbey and enjoyed the beautiful and majesticarchitecture, as well as the many monuments and memorials to royals, authors, playwrights and other notable Britons. A highlight was the Coronation Chair, which has been used for every coronation ceremony since the 1300s! The last royal behind to grace the chair was Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.

After Westminster, I went with my coworker to Leicester Square to see about tickets for shows. We were both pleased that Phantom of the Opera was available at a reasonable price, so we bought the tickets, ate a phenomenal lunch at Yo! Sushi and arranged to meet at Her Majesty's Theatre at 7:30 for the show. The rest of the afternoon I meandered down Charing Cross Road, Oxford Street, and Shaftesbury Avenue. The weakness of the U.S. Dollar helped me avoid purchasing much, but I enjoyed the walk.

Phantom of the Opera
Critiquing theatre is not my forte, so I will keep my review short: I loved Phantom of the Opera!!! It definitely lived up to the positive opinions I have heard and read about the musical and the production.

And after a long day of walking the city, sitting down and watching a world-class musical was just what I needed! After the show, we went down the street to Quod for a late dinner. By then it was midnight and I returned to the hotel for the night.

Sunday
This morning I explored the Petticoat Lane markets, and then went to Brick Lane, home to London's Bengali and Bangladeshi community for several decades. It was like Chicago's Devon Street, but multiplied by five. Besides the various Indian or Bangladeshi stores, there were many second-hand and vintage clothing stores. After perusing these markets, I sat down and dined at Clipper for some great Bangladeshi
food. I ate Naan, Lamb Jaferizi, and lots of chutneys. (As far as I could tell, Bangladeshi cuisine is a lot like Indian food.)

Speakers Corner
Since the late 1800s, a corner of Hyde Park has been designated as a place where one can say whatever one likes. Every Sunday afternoon, this corner becomes a lively place to listen to, speak about or debate topics such as religion, politics, history, or even where someone ate dinner two Wednesday nights ago (though I doubt anyone would listen to that).

This Sunday, the scene was definitely lively. I saw two of the same characters that I remember from 2001 when I first came to the Corner. One was a Marxist; the other was a philosopher who wears red horns (photos will follow). Anyway, as I was listening to the Marxist talk about how Chinese capitalists have been ruining China by turning from the Marxist foundations of their country, commotion interrupted us and I turned to see a fight break out among those who were debating Iraq.

The best I can tell, a group of people were talking about the USA and Arab countries, and someone said something about someone's history and that person took it personally and responded with a blow. You see, the one rule about Speakers Corner is that no matter how heated a row becomes, no one should resort to physical battery. As the philosopher with the red horns later told me, "Speakers Corner is supposed to be for intellectuals, not for angry, cowardly people who come here to attack someone, anyone, as an outlet for their frustrated rage." It was easy to agree with the red-horned philosopher about this. In any case, I left Speakers Corner with an expanded view of the world, if not a changed view of humanity.

The Week Has Ended
That sums up the week. For the rest of my time here I'll be staying at a hotel near Hyde Park in London and working at an office only four Tube stops away. I'm hoping the project will go smoothly and that I'll have time to explore more of London during the evenings this week.

Swedes at Toby Carvery -- It's what's for lunch

There aren't many lunch options at the Reading office. A sandwich cart comes to the office every day at 11:15 that serves cold and hot sandwiches, salads and soft drinks. I bought sandwiches from the sandwich cart the first day, but they were so pasty and tasteless that I had to ask if there were any off-site options. That's when I learned about the carvery

Toby Carvery
On Tuesday of last week, my co-worker and I went to Toby Carvery. A few minutes after we sat down to eat, our server asked us if we wanted more time to look at the menu or if we wanted to go for the carvery straight away. Honestly, I thought she was asking us if we were ready to order our entrees, so, knowing how slow European service can be, I quickly said, "yes." As she snatched the menus from our hands, I realized there had been a misunderstanding… I interjected, "ma'am, what exactly is a carvery?"

"Right," she said, "you can just go up to the carver and order whatever cuts of meat you like."

"All right, brilliant," I said. (Obviously, I don't speak English very well!)

So, I went up for some meat. The options were turkey, beef or gammon (ham). Each of the cuts was great, and the vegetable selection reminded me of home: broccoli, carrots, peas, cauliflower, potatoes… but there was one mysterious, mashed orange substance. Naturally, I plopped the substance onto my plate, and sat down to have a bite.

After eating the mystery vegetable for a week, we decided that someone had to ask about its identity. Today, while waiting in the carvery line, my manager inquired upon a kindly, English man. With a thick accent, he said something like "sweet." We all agreed that he was probably mistakenly calling this mashed substance sweet potatoes. A second opinion (we are auditors after all) from our server confirmed that the vegetable was, in fact, "swede." Subsequent googling informed us that swede translates into American English as rutabaga. Not a bad tasting vegetable, I might add, and it's good for you too!

Sunday in Belgium, Week 2 begins

Sunday
I started the day with a tasty belgian waffle, and then meandered around the Grand Place as I tasted more chocolate and bought some to go! Then, I explored the upper town, including memorable vistas of the city and quite a potpouri of antique stores. Unfortunately, I did not find anything to add to the Palacio collection, but I enjoyed the browsing. I posted some more pictures of Brussels, so enjoy them below.

I must have walked 5 miles by the time I got back to the hotel to pick up my luggage and head to the airport. And upon arrival to the airport last night I crashed on the bed and rested for what will be a busy work week.

Work?
Wow, I almost forgot I was here to work! My manager was with us this morning and, as is the custom, it was not a terribly productive day. But after dinner we went back to Windsor to dine at a very tasty Indian restaurant. Windsor is right on the way home, so I think I'll make a habit of stopping there for dinner whilst I'm out in Reading.

Another Member of the Blogosphere
My brother, Brian, has just begun a blog. I put a link to his blog in my "Blogs" section. As I am often the absent uncle, missing out on some of Kaylin's best moments, I'm looking forward to following the blog to see some great photos and descriptions of my adorable niece and the two wonderful people responsible for her life.

In front of the Notre-Dame du Sablon

Parc du Bruxelles, Hotel Deville, and Sacré-Coeur in the far distance.

Enough with the Manneken Pis!

Brussels

After I found my hotel Friday night, I left in search of Brussels’ offerings. I stayed at the Marriott, which was close to the Grand Place and many restaurants, bars and chocolatiers. It was at a chocolatier that I first indulged, I ordered three truffles and ate them as I explored the city.

Usually when I visit a new city, I start out walking toward the major attraction, and then wandering about, follow my instincts, until I get lost or at least disoriented. This time, my instincts brought me through the Grand Place, and down many restaurant-laden alleys, until I looked to my right and saw something I could not pass up: the Délirium Café!

Délirium Café
Thanks to my flatmate’s fascination with beer, I was well aware of Délirium beer, but as I sat down at the bar of the Délirium Café, I was astounded by its selection of Belgian and other beers. The beer list was over 2,000 beers long, including nearly 1,000 Belgian brews and beers from around the world. I posted a picture of the beers from the U.S.A.; I found it interesting that Pabbst Blue Ribbon, one of my favorites, was excluded, while Stroh’s was included.

One of the beers on tap was called Pink Killer. Unfortunately, I could not resist trying this. It was sweeter than it was sour, and tasted something like a beer/pink lemonade combination. Once I finished the Pink Killer, I moved on to some real Belgian beers, Carolus Triple, Orval, and Westmalle Tripel (see photos below). The previous three were on the recommendation of a kind Belgian guy named Patrick. Each beer was a new and pleasant experience.

I enjoyed myself at the bar as I spoke with Patrick and another guy, Andrés, who was Swiss. Andrés and I spoke in Spanish and, after Patrick left, we met another American, who happened to be from Miami, and was able to speak Spanish with us.

The three of us tried the beers that Patrick recommended, and then went out for some late night Middle Eastern food, doner kebab sandwiches. After dinner, we continued on to a couple of Salsa/Dance clubs. All told, it was a fun night.

Saturday
Saturday’s highlight was the visit to Cantillon Brewery. Cantillon makes lambic beer, which relies on native yeasts and bacertia to ferment the barley and wheat. Until 1860, all beer was lambic. Lambic beer is a lot more sour (less than 0,2% is sugar by volume) than most commercial beers and I must admit that tasting the ‘real stuff’ nearly knocked my socks off!

The rest of Saturday I meandered through the Grande Place and the streets of Brussels. For dinner I ate mussels with a side of Belgian fries (for those of you who don’t know, what we call ‘Patriot Potatoes’ were first produced here in Belgium). I had a Belgian waffle for dessert with some Belgian coffee. Tomorrow morning I plan to have another Belgian waffle and try several more chocolatiers.

I have tried everything for which Belgium is renowned except the sprouts (Sorry Mom!), and I must say that the treats have lived up to their hype. I look forward to more tasting tomorrow. Bonne nuit or slaap lekker!

Some of the reasons to enjoy Brussels!

A view of Hotel Deville's spire

One of Brussels winding streets at night.

Delirium Cafe!

Westmalle, one of the many Trappist beers at the Delirium Cafe

The U.S.A. beers section in the pub with > 2,000 bottled beers!

Tasting some Belgian Gueuze from the family-run Cantillon Brewery, specializing in lambic beers.

Visiting Oxford

It took a little over an hour to get to Oxford from the office; it was well worth the effort. We parked our car on Longwall Street along an old, winding wall (go figure!), and began to explore. We were able to peek into the quads of at least 10 of Oxford's Colleges, including Jesus, All Souls, St. Peter's, Christ Church and Lincoln College, to name a few. Visiting hours in the quads were over, but just peering into them was as pacifying as it was breathtaking.

It was fun to meander the medieval streets, and gaze at the impressive gothic architecture! The energy of young, bright students was in the air, but the echoes of the thoughts and inventions of those who came before us were equally present. Great feats have have been accomplished here, greater still are those dreams and endeavors yet to be pursued.

We ambled from 7:00 to 9:00 before we stopped to eat. While Oxford had its share of student life, it also had quite a few nice restaurants for people whose budget is no longer limited by their parents' stipends. We found a nice, loungy bar/restaurant called "All Bar One" that served us some tasty seafood, beer and wine. I was pleased!

Enjoy the pictures below!

One of those stores does not belong!

The Quad of All Souls College

Me, in a narrow Oxford street, pondering studying again.

Me in Oxford.

A view to one of Oxford's Colleges

Petrol is £ 0,89/liter, that equates to $6.60/gallon! Enjoy that cheap gas in the U.S.A.!

Windsor

Tonight after work my staffperson and I went to meet the other half of our Audit Department (who happen to be working in Basingstoke, England) in Windsor. It's not often that the five of us are able to travel together, so it was fun to explore as a group. We found one of our company's stores (there are 175 in the U.K.), we took pictures (as seen below), and we dined at an excellent Thai restaurant. Unfortunately, the Windsor Castle is closed to visitors after 4:00 PM, but just strolling through the picturesque town was its own pleasure.

Oxford
I'm lucky to be working with someone who is very easy-going and adventurous. I suggested an evening visit to Oxford tomorrow after work, and my co-worker quickly agreed. Even after I explained that this would mean getting to work a little earlier and doing a short lunch! Per the map, it looks like Oxford is a quick jaunt from Reading. As we speak, I'm mapping it out on Via Michelin... Yes, 72 km, that's not too far!

UT, thanks for the suggestion. Everyone, if i'm not too tired tomorrow night, I'll try to post pictures of the campus and the town.

Beautiful Windsor

Windsor Castle and the English Flag

A Castle and the sky

Mind your dog! (from my soon to be famous collection of international signposts)

Me and Windsor Castle

C -3PO, R2D2, and me! (In London on 8-May)

Clock-wise

It seems that every time I come to the United Kingdom, I notice something new. This time, I chuckled as I listened to traffic reports on the radio describing roads as queing either clock-wise or anti-clockwise. For you Chicagoans, can you imagine a traffic update telling you about clockwise or anti-clockwise queues on the Kennedy tomorrow morning? It's neither right nor wrong, but I often prefer the British ways of speaking or writing. More than anything, it's fun.

London
Right after my arrival on Sunday, I went to London for the day. My co-worker had never been, so I walked with her around the city. We started at Harrods, walked through Green, Hyde and St. James Parks, stopping by Buckingham Palace along the way. Then we arrived at the Houses of Parliament (see below) and Westminster Abbey, and finally Trafalger and Leicester Squares. Not a bad day's walk. I don't think I would ever grow tired of London's appeal.

Work
Oh yeah! I am here to work. Not much to say about that, but I should get some shut-eye in preparation for tomorrow!

Me and the Houses of Parliament

On Thursday, after picking up my friend Mark from O'hare, we decided to stop by Clybar to visit some friends and celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Clybar was supposed to have a piñata, but Mark and I arrived too late to get any whacks in. However, my friend Carrie admitted that she has a piñata at home which has been aging for eight years. Maybe some day she'll let me whack that piñata. We'll see.

Thursday evening, on the way to Clybar, I finally saw the water stain underneath Chicago's Kennedy Expressway on Fullerton Avenue. Many trusting people have looked at the water stain and seen the image of Jesus Christ' earthly mother. Circumstancially, the waterstain was vandalized an hour after Mark and I saw it. I swear we had nothing to do with it! (Allegedly, Mary has since reappeared.)

Weekend
Friday night was a night to catch up around the Palacio. I ended up falling asleep at 11:30, am I getting old? On Saturday I woke up early and golfed at Jackson Park with my Dad, brother and Ceebs. I shot a 118, which is about right for me. I've golfed twice already, so I have ambitions to play a lot more this summer and improve my game considerably.

Back to O'hare
After golf, I took a bus to the Loop to buy a travel book for Brussels. Next Friday I will visit Belgium for the first time. I am greatly looking forward to a weekend of mussels, waffles, chocolate, beer and fries.

Now I've got to get out of here and head to O'hare...

¡Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

Today I called one of my co-workers and friends, Adrián, in the México City office. Jokingly, I wished him a "Feliz Cinco de Mayo." Of course, the fact that he was at work reveals a little known fact about Cinco de Mayo: Mexicans do not celebrate Cinco de Mayo half as much as we Americans do!

Of course, any Mexican who has taken a history class can tell you about the Battle of Puebla and how the Mexican troops in Puebla defied the French occupying forces on 5-May-1862. But, as my friend Adrián pointed out, a few days after the Battle of Puebla the Mexicans suffered some major military setbacks, and it wasn't until 1867 that México rid themselves of the French.

So, no piñatas, no sombreros, just another day of work for most Mexicans, except those Mexicans lucky enough to live in Puebla, where Cinco de Mayo is naturally a more significant holiday.

However, that doesn't mean that we shouldn't all go out and celebrate! If nothing else, Cinco de Mayo should be an excuse to enjoy some of México's many delights. So take time to indulge in some margaritas and cervezas mexicanas tonight, eat some tamales, and if you really want to remember Puebla, then don't forget to try one of its famous dishes: enchiladas con mole poblano!

¡Viva México! and ¡Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

High School Baseball

Tonight I went to a high school baseball game between the Bremen Braves and Oak Forest Bengals. In honor of my recently deceased cousin David, my Uncle Ted threw out the first pitch and the proceeds from all of tonight's ticket sales went to benefit cancer research. Uncle Ted pitched from the stretch and certainly threw a strike, but I'm sorry to say that the Braves lost.

It is funny how much I still dislike the Oak Forest High School Bengals. They were my high school's (Tinley Park H.S.) archrivals, and they always seemed to win. Seeing them prevail upon the Braves in extra-innings tonight brought back all of those adolescent feelings of jealousy and anger toward the superior team in the conference. Why can't my teams ever win? And why do I still get caught up with this competition?

Identity is a mysterious and powerful force!

Where is my identity?

Last week I noticed a few erroneous charges from Gateway and AOL on one of my credit cards totalling $600. Friday morning, I called to report the activity and cancel my card. It's a good thing, too. Two additional vendors called me on Friday afternoon (while I was in Houston) to ask why the credit card I used to make an online purchase was not valid and did not have the same ship-to address as billing address. Apparently, one of these vendors was instructed to ship a lap-top to Charleston, Maine! (Of all places, one of the 4 states I have never visited!)

Whoever stole my credit card information also started an AOL email address using my name! (I have since closed it, so don't go using it). But, thanks to impeccable service from American Express, I already have a new credit card in my hands and I won't pay a dime.

In any case, I have since decided to make all my entries in blogland with my more mysterious and Spanish nickname, Equipo. Of course this is also inspired by the giver of this nickname, who expressed disappointment at not seeing it on this blog. So, Rick, my long, lost friend, please enjoy my new username. And, for those of you unfamiliar with my Equipo identity, I'll explain later.

Sovanski
The highlight of tonight was yet another Sovanski open mike at The Grafton in Lincoln Square. My cousin (Sovanski) played "Poor Man's Smith," "Kalamazoo," and "Sticks and Stones." If you haven't heard him yet, you should make a point to. His first, self-titled, album was brilliant, and he's working on another album as we speak. He's a singer-songwriter with a unique and convincing voice and a good ability to write memorable words and melodies. Mostly, it's great to see someone I know and love doing something that he loves to do.

For pictures of the concert, see below!

Eva and I, among Sovanski's many fans 

Sovanski tuning his guitar 

Sovanski performing open mike at The Grafton 

Back in the U.S.A.!

The weekend in Houston was what I expected and more. On Friday, Pink Shirt Night was without incident or interruption. (Then again, Pink Shirt Night has NEVER failed.) On Saturday, Harry Caray paid a visit to Minute Maid Park for the first time since it opened in the year 2000. But even Harry Caray's cheers were not enough to spur the Cubs to victory over the Astronauts on Saturday night.

Sweet Home Chicago
While I had many pleasant experiences in Houston, I must say that I am glad to call Chicago my sweet home. Houston seems more like an agglomeration of suburbs than a city. Its downtown includes some fun bars and clubs, but during the day there was very little activity. The public transportation was not very useful, so it seems owning and relying on an automobile is a necessity. In short, I will be in no hurry to return to the fourth most populated U.S. city.

Below, I have posted some photographs of Saturday's Cubs game. Enjoy!!!

Chili-Cheese Hot Dog 

Me, about to devour a chili-cheese hotdog at Minute Maid Park 

Harry Caray running up the stairs 

Harry Caray gets the last laugh