Hello! Please excuse me. Unfortunately, due to a relocation I’ve been out of a job for a while and my public speaking skills are *ahem* a little rusty. So I felt compelled to get a little help.

I went to the book store and got just what I needed: “Mad Libs for the Best Man.” I thought we’d make this a group effort. This is a MadLib Wedding Toast. I’m going to need verbs, nouns, and adjectives. Just shout out answers as I call for them.

Okay someone give me a boy’s name! (Jacob) Okay good one, now how about a girl’s name? (Deborah) Great this is working like a charm! This thing writes itself and well worth the .95 for any future Best Men out there.

Wedding Day Mad Lib

1) Boy’s name (groom Jacob)
2) Girl’s name (bride Deborah)
3) Special Occasion (wedding)
4) Emotion
5) Emotion
6) Verb (kiss the bride)
7) Body part (lips)
8) Internal Organ (heart)
9) Duration of Time (lifetime)
10) Type of Drinking Utensil
11) Adjective (“happy” couple)
12) Adverb [ends in –ly]


Here’s to the happy couple - the handsome groom _Jacob_and the blushing bride _Deborah_. We join you here on your special wedding day. A day filled with feelings of _joy_and _panic_.

As we stood here to witness the climatic moment when the minister declares you may “_kiss_ the bride” and Jacob kissed Deborah on the _lips_, which he told me tasted like _pure cane sugah!!!_.

We all knew then in our _hearts_ that this was going to last _forever_ . So raise your _glass_ and join me in wishing the _happy_ couple a wonderful life together and that they live _legally & happily_ ever after.

====================================================

Before I get started with a toast for the bride and groom, please be sure to fill your glass as I share some acknowledgements.

I happily thank everyone who came from near and far to be here. In life it’s not the destination but the journey. Personally though, coming from chilly Chicago, I would argue that sometimes it’s the destination that makes the journey worthwhile. When traveling you sometimes realize that it’s not the place but the people that makes it special. Judging from the great group gathered here tonight you’d have to agree that we have the best of everything for this very special occasion.

Special thanks to the bridesmaids and groomsmen - smashing job! I don’t think Deborah or Jacob noticed during their vows the Navy SEALS doing exercises storming the beach – bravo! Way to fool people with your smiles and tears. They say love is blind; lucky for us it’s also averse to Special Forces maneuvers. A testament to our military, Ho-ah!

A very BIG thank you to the parents of the bride and groom – Carol Holmes and Noah and Nancy Yates for their generous hospitality this week. You’re all wonderful parents who have invested so much of yourselves into raising a daughter and a son who have made a lifelong commitment today to share that abundance of love that they received from you. Their love for one another is a testament to a lifetime of YOUR time, energy, and love; you should be very proud parents today and all days. Cheers to you!

Growing up we had a big group of friends that we affectionately referred to as “the gang,” like “the gang’s all here.” Many of these friendships grew out of countless hours together in scouting. For those who don’t know or forgot, Jacob is an Eagle Scout, as are many of our friends. You don’t ascend the trail of becoming an Eagle Scout without sharing a lot of adventures together with friends over much of your childhood.

Many of my parents’ friendships were forged over 25 years ago from this gang of friends. Because of our parents and their group of friends, my brothers and I are still closely connected to friends we’ve known since elementary school.

Over these many years the “mother’s grapevine” kept us connected as we learned what our friends were up to. It’s a special feeling to get married and look out at familiar faces who are there to watch you kiss the bride when they knew you way before you even had your first kiss. So an extra thanks to my folks for making sure your sons are still surrounded by people who are a good influence on us.

I’d like to thank the groom, my big brother, the Big J, Jacob Yates for asking me to be his best man and share in this celebration. It’s a great honor and privilege to have stood by you today and to be the first to toast you and your lovely bride Debra.

Jacob was the oldest kid in our gang of friends so he had the benefit and burden of being first in a lot of things. Now normally, being the first to do things as a kid is great! With it, however, comes responsibility. It seemed that often people watched and learned from how Jacob handled things, using his experiences, both good and bad, to either follow his lead so their kid had a bit smoother path or to try it another way.

Trailblazing brings with it a few nicks and scars. It certainly leaves you open to second-guessing by those with the luxury of time to sit back and remark “well I would’ve done it this way instead.”

I have always looked up to Jacob because he’s my big brother AND because I was a witness to the many trails he worked hard to blaze from which me and many others greatly benefited. It’s not surprising to me that he studied geology because I’m sure he had more than a few pebbles in his shoe along the way.

I love you bro and know that I will always look up to you as I try to follow your example of what it means to truly lead by example.

I would be remiss if I didn’t say that I also love my brother because he knows how to dream. And dream big he does! Now as a parent when you go around the dinner table and ask your kids, “so what do you wanna BE when you grow up?” you expect vague answers like (Nick) football player, (Greg) pilot. You do not expect matter-of-replies of (salute!) “Moon Base Commander!”

One Christmas when Jacob returned home from D.C., my dad asked the question and Jacob’s serious response made food fly out of our mouths and drinks shoot up our noses when he stated that he wanted to boldly go where no one else had gone before, working as a (salute!) “Moon Base Commander!”

Now growing up Jacob was into astronomy and always wanted to be an astronaut. Well I wanted to be a soccer player but at some point you realize it just ain’t gonna happen and you go find something you like, or you’re good at, and go with that! But when Jacob got a job referral from Sally Ride, the first female astronaut, you shut your mouth and support your big bro who wants to be an astronaut! And if he wants to be a (salute!) Moon Base Commander will then God Bless ‘Em!

However! Jacob thought this through more than you think. See, he grasped the fact that a Mission to Mars would require a lengthy trip of several years and would make a bit of a dent in any relationships he might have cookin’. So he “settled” on a more commuter friendly gig in (salute!) “Moon Base Commander.”

Jacob realized that there was a trend toward space travel getting privatized; that colonies on the moon are very likely in the coming decades; and if there’s a moon base, well then by God they’re going to need a (salute!) Moon Base Commander!

So cheers to my brother, the man with his head in the stars and his feet on the ground. The Eagle has landed! Cheers bro!

Lastly, thank you to the bride, Debra for allowing your husband, my brother, to ask me to be one of his best men. I know that sometimes my rambunctiousness makes you fear what crazy antics I might do to possibly diminish this very special day [pause for effect]

Debra, you are the epitome of the beautiful blushing bride and know that I will always do my best to make today as memorable as possible. I never had a sister until now and I’m proud to welcome you to our family.

Some of you may not be quite familiar with Deborah. I know some things about my new sister-in-law but not a lot of things, so I did some research. Please forgive me brother, but, I Googled your bride and found a few things I thought everyone should know. Knowing Deborah you would NOT be surprised to learn that she graduated first in her class last year from Law School [applause], first in earning her M.B.A., AND also first in her class for her undergraduate degree. This is a woman who obviously takes pride in working hard, getting her facts straight, and doing her homework.

When she first met Jacob and he’s modestly sharing his life story about his younger days as a trailblazing Eagle Scout, his commitment to his country as a Naval Officer, and of course he had to mention his inevitable role as (salute!) Moon Base Commander, Deborah was, well..., skeptical. So she did what any woman would do before pursuing a restraining order, she smartly did her homework to verify that he’s the real deal. Was he too good to be true?! Deborah Googled my brother and discovered that this guy IS an Officer AND a gentleman.

Not being a woman who settles for second best, she wisely made sure that Jacob pulled his head out of his astronautical dreams and has had him sharing the moon and stars with her ever since.

So raise your glasses to the happy couple! May you trail blaze new paths together and always do your research to ensure that you get nothing but the best that life has to offer. The love you two share puts you in a class all your own!

CHEERS TO THE HAPPY COUPLE!

One month has passed since arriving in Chicago. And while it’s still early to make a judgment on such a dramatic change, I must say that we really like it here.


THE CITY is truly impressive at every turn. The architecture of nearly every building is unique and seems to personify itself as its own character in a town with such distinctive styles. Sharon and I are constantly marveling at every street we pass and appreciate the personality of a town that seems to really have broken the mold of urban design.


THE WEATHER is amazing. I must compliment Chicago on being extremely thorough in their outpouring of winter weather displays. For those who warned of drastic freezing cold, I commend you on properly preparing this California kid for Midwestern Misery. Indeed it HAS been quite cold, but, due to the dire warnings I think I was overly scared of losing digits to Jack Frost. As a result I have been diligent each time I’ve ventured outdoors in layering on clothes thick enough to stop a bullet. The result is that the cold has not been at all bad as what I was expecting, which was Antarctic blizzard. Picture the planet Hoth from Empire Strikes Back.

Now, snow is currently falling outside. Temperatures have ranged from highs of 45° F to lows of -18°F. The Chicago Sun Times has weather reports with “Current Conditions” and “Real Feel” temps. For instance, now it states that it’s 22° and Snowing but Real Feel is 7° with an outlook of " No Mercy!"

Apparently this is considered by many Chicagoans to be one of the most enduring winters. However, that may be a good thing for me since I was told by some locals that it’s often cold here but it’s not often you see so much snow to coat the scenery. For me, seeing so much snow is new and different and fun. And since it should only last a few more weeks I’ll happily enjoy it while it’s here. The financial fallout from so much snow is that the city of Chicago – like so many well managed cities, ahem – has already spent their entire year’s budget for snow removal in less than eight weeks. That’s the price for enjoying each unique and special snowflake I guess.

The real good news about the weather is that our dogs LOVE the snow! Dogs Coco (12 years) and Snickers (11 years) are strays that Sharon adopted while stationed in Guam (for those who forget, she was in the Navy for 7 years). Coco was a real “lady” about scooting around puddles in San Diego so we feared she’d hate the snow. The fact that she’s been diving right in has been fun to watch.


THE PEOPLE are really very friendly. The genuine outpouring of hospitality and sincere kindness from people at every encounter continues to impress us. While Sharon quickly chalks it up to Midwestern values and attitudes, I attribute it to something entirely different.

For so long I sat and listened to people bad mouth Californians for being too arrogant or too fake or too distant or too… whatever . In one sense they are correct; some people are too distant and keep to themselves or ... whatever.

My conclusion, however, has been for years that those who are from a particular place take stock of their neighborhood and look out for one another, ala “it takes a village.” In my hometown of San Diego, many folks relocate there from some place else trying to reinvent themselves into some new persona, acting and saying things they would never do at home if they knew that their parents or neighbors might observe their extreme, unaccountable behavior. (The interesting part is that some many new arrivals are from the Midwest and back East, so what changed when they got to CA?)

In any case, I have found many Chicagoans to be natives or from neighboring states. So it only holds true that people are more friendly and pleasant to those new to their hometown. Just as my friends who are native to San Diego are more apt to lend a hand or offer a kind word to those new to San Diego. The bigger difference might be that California is one endless parade of people from somewhere else with the one constant being the coming and going of friends new and old. Sometimes the changing is too much when you’re always the one staying rooted to your old neighborhood.


THE CHANGE is nice. As a native San Diegan for 35 continuous years I’ve now shed the thin skin from consistently perfect weather for dramatic changes in seasons, surroundings and experiences. I am enjoying the proverbial shoe being on the other foot as the new kid in town being welcomed by native locals.

One big change for a West Coaster is that in Chicago the water (Lake Michigan) is on the right side (east). In San Diego, you had the ocean on the left (west), L.A. to the north, mountains and desert to the east, and Mexico to the south. You can’t drive too far without seeing indicators for one of those telltale signs. Here in Chicago I am constantly looking for landmarks to figure out where I am. Sharon got lost in San Diego constantly and is delighted that I am now as clueless as she is when we go out to run errands. Her glee is quickly tempered when we end up heading someplace not knowing the direction. I need a compass to get my bearings. Or a job delivering pizzas.


THE LINCOLN PARK ZOO (LPZ) loooooooves Sharon! I believe that this is the best situation for her to assume a Director’s role and really make her mark in the industry that will benefit her for years to come. The last PR Director apparently “retired on the job” several years ago and was close friends with the CEO who is much beloved by the Zoo community. However, in a few weeks Sharon has already gotten some good press for some of the conservation research. She has also shared her vision and strategy for achieving that vision of how the LPZ will achieve new heights in the Zoo community. The downside is now every team and department has scheduled her for meetings – she even had a meeting discuss an upcoming meeting— to ensure they get her attention and subsequent exposure. Like neglected children who have finally been embraced by a loving and knowing protector, Sharon seems to be getting unconditional love and praise from every corner of her new work family. The CEO appears to have taken to her as well. As she gets things together for both short term and long term PR, I am so happy to see Sharon finally happy with her job and getting the due credit for her hard work and industry knowledge that will serve her well.

Sharon and I ventured out on our first Saturday in Chicago (Groundhog’s Day) and we toured the zoo as snow fell, a very surreal experience I must admit. I was also taken aback by how many people were out and about on a cold, snowy day. Stark contrast to when it drizzles in San Diego and “Storm Watch Alerts” go into full effect, batten down the hatches folks! Different worlds indeed.

LPZ is unique in that it is located in the middle of Lincoln Park that runs along Lake Michigan. For San Diegans, imagine if there was a mini-zoo in the middle of Balboa Park where the playground (formerly with see-saws) is located. A zoo is right there, among other park ornaments like statues, ponds, sports fields, and squirrels. It is privately funded so there is no admission fee and no turnstiles. Gates are wide open and Chicagoans take great pride in how they can walk, run, or bike right through the Zoo any time it’s open. This hampers Sharon in not being able to use tickets as trade for PR deals like in San Diego. However, it leads to other perks like the upcoming Earth Day concert that will be held in Lincoln Park around the zoo. It’s a cool place with informative signage that explains why animals are off exhibit and LPZ might soon be world famous due to some professional polish by a certain new Director of Public Relations.


THE JOB HUNT is going, uhhh, it sucks. I’m impatient and can’t believe that companies aren’t throwing themselves at me, or at least throwing bags of money my way. Bags of coins would even do at this point. I’ve gotten one job offer and they wanted me to travel 75% of the time for only a modest salary. I declined their sadistic offer.

I feel like the new kid who just moved to a new high school and now I need a date to the dance . People aren’t quite jumping up to embrace a guy from San Diego who spent 8 years at a school like Webster that no one’s heard of. Shocking, I know. lol With Northwestern being downtown, DePaul in Lincoln Park, and the University of Chicago located just south, these brand name schools really stand out. While I am seeking to wiggle my way into the Management Consulting field, I may have to take a more incremental step by getting a job in Higher Ed before jumping out of that pool into business consulting. Fortunately I am doing a good job of earning my keep as Sharon’s stay-at-home House Husband.


THE KEPT MAN GIG is awesome!!!, but growing old quickly. Yes, I sit at home all day in sweat pants while job hunting. Sometimes I even do useful stuff around the house, like unpack. I do walk the dogs, do laundry, shop for groceries and have dinner ready when Sharon walks in the door around 7pm. I've baked brownies and given my sweetheart massages as we watch movies. She deserves it because she always has given me time and space to do things my way, for better and for worse, just like the vows said. It's a HUGE luxury to be able to take the time to find a job that's a good fit but I AM anxious to get out and prove myself. A few nights I couldn't sleep because I wonder if and when the right job opportunity will turn up.

It’s similar to being single when you’re finally ready to get married. If you knew you were going to find the right person in a short period, you’d go out with friends more. But since you don’t know if and when that single file ride will ever end, you cautiously measure out those moments not knowing if you might be single longer than expected and be forever “married” to your friends, so to speak. Likewise, I now have time to go out and explore but must be mindful of our singular income. Luckily, the high snow banks and slick roads motivate me to keep the car in the garage unless I’m making my rare trip to the store for essential goods.

For now I am enjoying this rare moment in the middle of my life to NOT work –something I’ve done continuously since I was 17. As I refined my resume I came to the startling realization that at one point in time I was working five jobs simultaneously! I can now reflect on exactly what I DO want to do and what I don’t want to do for a living. With plans for a family not far off, I need to ensure this next career track is headed for long term prosperity. I’m thinking bank robber.


THE RUNS are refreshing. What I mean is, I started running again. After not running for nearly four months it was nice to hit the road. With a break in the weather it was an instructive moment for me to seize any opportunities to do what you want before that window of opportunity gets frozen shut. On Monday I joined CARA, the Chicago Area Runner’s Association, which is similar to the San Diego Track Club I was apart of for a few seasons. A sub-group that I joined Tuesday night is the Six Leaf Clover Runners, training for an 8k / 4.8mile Shamrock Shuffle that is already sold out with 30,000 runners signed up (I’ll rabbit this one time [run free]). For six consecutive Tuesdays about 200 people meet at a different Irish pub and go for a run and then return for a pint and some pub food. I went in hopes of breaking up my home bound monotony, meeting new friends, and making business connections. I wore a San Diego State University sweatshirt to spark up conversation. And in a way it did.

Being from San Diego made quite the impression to a few folks. While waiting in line for food I spied a framed Padres jersey autographed by the great Tony Gwynn.

“Wow!” I thought. I then commented to the people in front of me that “THAT‘s surprising to see in such a sports minded town dominated by Cubs and White Sox fans.”

A woman replied matter-of-factly “Oh yeah, this is a Padres bar. ALL the Padres fans show up here.”

“What the… I thought. WOW! That is SO awesome…”

My dilated eyes and gaping mouth caused several fellow runners to laugh at my reaction until one confessed they were pulling my leg. No such thing as a Padres bar in Chicago.

Well, maybe, not yet…

As I stated before, everyone around is really nice and I did meet some nice people on the run and in the pub. I should note that this was my first run in the snow at 25°. Only downside to running in the snow – assuming you’re layered up like I was – is the footing between slush, slick ice patches, and crunchy powder; a constant obstacle course to navigate. But then again it takes your mind off of running in weather cold enough to have SNOW on the ground! The topper to my first evening out alone was a raffle prize I won at the end of the night (water bottle – whoopee!).
The kicker was that on my drive home I somehow got headed in the wrong direction and got lost. Sharon giggled with delight when I called to ask her to give me directions home.


THE MOVE-IN EXPERIENCE was, well, moving. Car was delivered on Sunday, just days after we did. The moving van arrived on Wednesday Feb 6th, a week after we plopped down. Fortunately we had shipped boxes of provisions to tide us over until this day of reunification. The van was supposed to arrive on Tuesday but another guy getting moved before us asked for 24 hours as his escrow hadn’t yet closed and he couldn’t get in to his house. So I conceded. The fallout was that our scheduled delivery date was clear skies. On Wednesday a storm rolled in. As movers rolled our stuff into the house snow was falling steadily all the live long day. It was swell. I went to the store and bought an arsenal of snacks for the crew which went over well; didn’t want a bunch of disappointed hungry guys scraping walls, dropping computers or breaking chairs. Within 5 hours everything was stacked everywhere. Move over.

Unpacking was as expected. That took about a week, delayed only by me catching the flu from being out in the snow as I helped the moving crew when they were short staffed the first two hours. The house is mostly put together and ready for visitors with a large guest room should you be in town for a few days.

Met a San Diego couple who responded to my craigslist posting for free boxes. Turns out they were moving across town. Wife works at the Chicago Tribune and until her and her husband relocated 2 years prior, she had worked at the San Diego Union-Tribune. Turns out she handled the ads for the Zoo and Wild Animal Park. Small world! I guess all of the folks who leave San Diego gotta end up somewhere, right? Ironically, we never met them as her husband went out and bought boxes. Did meet several nice folks who responded to the ad and loaded up car load after car load of our 100+ boxes and packing materials. Many were stunned but wished us well for moving from San Diego in the dead of winter, a common sentiment from most everyone.


THE CULTURE is impressive. While I always resented people who would sniff at San Diego’s lack of culture, I would of course get defensive and insist that they were not seeing the whole scene. While my flailing attempts were in the right spirit, they were not altogether correct and I suppose in my heart of hearts I knew this. I guess one thing that comes with a population density of 3 million plus people is that there is a bigger audience, bigger donor base to support many artistic pursuits, and more talent available to make a living from their art. So yes, the art scene is alive and well in Chicago.

On Saturday, Feb. 23rd Sharon and I went to the ballet. The ballet troupe will do a photo shoot for an upcoming promotional piece at the LPZoo and provided the Director of PR some passes. Luckily, communal law requires this Director, my wife, to split everything with me 50/50 so she HAD to take me out in public. So off we went to the ballet. I didn’t care if it WAS men in tights leaping around on their toes and waifish girls getting chucked around like kittens tossed off the couch, I was getting to go to town, literally.

We got all dressed up. Sharon put on her new socialite-best creamy wool coat with black dress and leather boots, very nice. I donned my new black suit that Sharon bought me for Christmas that I’ll wear at my brother Jacob’s wedding. Having worn more or less the same clothes for three weeks – picture lint covered sweat pants and a musty sweater, lovely yes? – I believe Sharon was relieved to see that A.) My dress clothes still fit, which will be handy should I ever get a job interview and B.) I shine up like a new penny.

Not knowing if our complimentary tickets were decent or placed us in the back of the venue like old shoes in a closet, I decided to wear my reading glasses. Similar to how Marilyn Monroe goes ga-ga for Tony Curtis in “Some Like It Hot” when he adorns his glasses, Sharon gets grinningly girlish and snuggly when I put on my stylish specs. I now shower with my glasses on. I guess donning my specs is better than the alternative of my ever growing Popeye squint; apparently, not so hot.

As we do a majority of the time, we used public transportation to get downtown which, fortunately, is just 4 miles from our house in West Town. We walked a few blocks in 30° weather, caught a bus a half mile to the train station, took the train to the heart of downtown, and then walked 2 blocks to the ballet ).

The venue is very impressive! Quite decadent and reminiscent of any classic theatre you’ve seen in a film. Our seats were on the aisle in the orchestra pit (I didn’t have to play, thankfully).

The three-act performances were excellent and engaging making a post-performance dessert stop quite necessary. We walked around the corner to a cozy café right on Michigan Ave across from the famed Art Institute of Chicago Museum which is guarded by two copper lion statues that I am sure will have me straddling for a photo at some point when the danger of me freezing to it is not so likely. The whole reason I shared all of this dessert shop talk is that in this place seating no more than 20 people who most likely also just exited the ballet, Sharon and I were seated very closely to a young couple where the guy just happened to be a transplant from Scripps Ranch in San Diego (adjacent to Mira Mesa where I grew up). Small world! His name is David and he went to Scripps Ranch High School and was about 26 years old. While I didn’t probe he most likely mixed in similar circles with my brother Nick who’s about his age. This guy came to Chicago in 2000 for college at Northwestern, his mom teaches ballet in San Diego, and he shared lots of info on what a San Diegan should expect in this town (namely, brutally humid summers and people are very inviting should you wanna join their beach volleyball game). Overall a good night with more good fortune of meeting another San Diegan in Chicago


THE NIGHTLIFE has yet to be properly explored. That WILL be remedied in time. Due to the extreme weather, tight budget and a tag-team bout of the flu that knocked us both out for a spell we’ve only been out a few times.

On Super Bowl Sunday (3 days after arriving) we walked a mile north to Bucktown and Wicker Park, trendy areas with eclectic shops and restaurants. Sharon bought some new boots (all of her shoes have heels, something many women don’t wear here when snow and ice have the advantage). Afterward we went to a wine bar for some vino and hot soup to warm the heart. After having our yuppie moment of sipping wine and slurping soup, we followed the shoe store staff’s advice and wandered over to watch the Super Bowl at a bar called Cans. All beer was served in cans for . Since we didn’t have our TV delivered yet we had no choice but to watch the game in a bar (this is how I convinced Sharon). So we did. A buffet of bratwursts and meatballs was available; a stark contrast to our previous dining experience of lighter fare. I’ve joked that I should have a “before and after” cholesterol test to see how my arteries hold up after my move to the gravy-laden Midwest. Unfortunately, I never got to see the dramatic finish of the game because we had to leave at halftime when I received a call from the driver transporting my Nissan that he was in Chicago ready to deliver. The general manager of Cans chatted us up and was stunned that we left San Diego in the dead of winter. He gave us his card and invited us back as he was flattered that we chose his bar as our first stop for a brew in our new town.

On Friday, Feb 15th we met up with Ryan and Lisa, the brother and sister-in-law of our friend Kristen (girl who introduced us). They live in the suburbs of Chicago and have a couple of young kids. A cousin of Ryan and Kristen’s was having a birthday get together at a bar and they invited us to join them. After two weeks of battling the flu I was very happy to be up and out.

We took the bus to the bar which was an interesting people watching moment. You got a preview of who was going where. Which made wonder, what if you had plans to go to one spot but then someone caught your eye on the bus; do you follow their lead or follow through on your destination? I’m married so I’ll never know but it was striking to see people all dressed up to go out just bumping along on the city bus.

Coincidentally, I had previously met the birthday girl Jen on New Years 2005 when she was in San Diego visiting our friend Kristen. They joined us at the Prado in Balboa Park on my first New Years with Sharon just weeks after getting introduced to my future bride. Jen and I caught up, Sharon and I then had some drinks, we chatted with Ryan and Lisa who are both Baywatch beautiful and fun, we watched the band for a bit, and then retreated home. Next day Sharon laid in bed as the flu still had a grip on her health.

President’s Day gave Sharon a much needed day off. It got us out and about for our first exploration of the city. We took the train downtown to Millennium Park. Saw the giant sculpture "The Bean", walked around for a bit but the chilling cold was forcing us to abandon our day outdoors. Discovered later that it was somewhere below zero degrees. Huh! Well that explains why my teeth hurt. We decided to go see a movie. We nearly gave up on that as the longer than expected (2 miles) walk to the movie house grew colder with each step. Saw “There Will Be Blood” and agreed that Daniel Day Lewis deserved an Oscar but the film, however, was not something I’d care to see again.

This coming weekend proves to be our coming out party so to speak. On Friday the LPZoo is hosting a Leap In to Hot Winter Nights gala event. We get to go for free (I have my sources).

On Saturday one of Sharon’s old friends from the SDZoo, Alicia, is hosting a birthday party for her husband at their home an hour outside of town.

And Monday we are happy to be hosting Abby and Simon for dinner. They’re friends who put us up (and put up with us) in January on our long weekend house hunting trip. We’ve yet to reconnect with them since we arrived but we’re looking forward to seeing them again because they’re so fun.


THE HOUSE is ideal. It’s a two story 2 bedroom house with attached garage and gated front yard. The garage opens up to an alley and also keeps me from having to shovel out the car when we need to go somewhere. It also allows us to store our scooters with impunity. When walking the dogs I’ve seen several scooters parked on the street piled high with snow and decorated with shiny icicles. The front yard allows us to open the front door for the dogs to do their duty without having to walk them at the crack of dawn. The two story house has been nicely renovated – owned by a guy who in October moved to Redondo Beach, CA, go figure.

Our master bedroom has vaulted ceilings and a walk-in closet which Sharon of course loves! I was quick enough, however, to stake out my fair share of closet real estate and not be overrun by shoes and purses (exhilaration rushed through me similar to the Oklahoma Sooners as I tossed shirts onto hangers before Sharon got home from work that day to stake her claim). The master bathroom has dual marble sinks which is nice so we don’t spit on one another’s toothbrushes when rinsing. A sliding glass door opens up to a back patio with a high wall for privacy. When the weather warms we’ll place our lounge chairs and patio furniture out for sun and breakfast garnished by fresh air and serenaded by the soundtrack of the city.

The guest room is rather spacious so it doubles as our office without compromise. It too has vaulted ceilings, a closet (non-walk in, but standing or hiding is permitted), its own bathroom down the hall, our desks with computers (where I’m typing this now), TV with digital recorder, bookcase with stereo, and a deck that faces the front of the house with views of the tallest building in America, the Sears Tower.

Of course, there is a large tree on our sidewalk and when it leaves – get it? I know, yuk— I think it may obscure the view. But we’ll take a picture of the leaf-less limbs [/url]with unblemished skyline views and tape it to the sliding glass door. That way you can see what you won’t be able to see should you visit when spring is in full bloom.

Our staircase of doom twists as the stairs spiral downward and I worry about my imminent death. The dogs have both tumbled downstairs on separate occasions. One of the movers misstepped the last few steps. And I myself, ahem, gracefully fell like an anvil halfway down the stairs two weekends ago. I scraped up my wrist and bruised this little piggy that stayed home (i.e., toe). Sharon heard the descending thuds of my corpse tumbling and finally called out “You okAY?!” When I didn’t immediately answer because I wasn’t sure if my vertebrae were still aligned, she peered over the railing, saw me getting up and then, as the sensitive soul that this animal lover is, burst out laughing! Cackles echoed the stairwell like a wicked witch delighting in doom!! Fits of laughter like the five year old that she is. No sympathy or company for old men. I’m considering checking Sharon’s new benefit plan to ensure she doesn’t hold a premium for my life insurance in her grubby little hands.

Downstairs -should you make it- has a fireplace where our TV rests atop it. Couch and chair flank it as we watch movies. My long dining room table shores up the rest of the room. The spacious kitchen is guarded by doors to a closet, bathroom, laundry room, and garage. Voila!

Our address is 514 N. Hermitage Ave, Chicago, IL 60622 and we’re ready for visitors. Check the Cubs schedule and plan a trip when they're in town. I’m always sport for a game. And maybe we can go to that Padres bar.

I must warn you that I cannot be held responsible should you come visit us in Chicago and you end up liking it SO much that you move here!

I also will be asking people to sign waivers to stay with us so that when you too freefall down our stairs I get the benefit of joining my wife in the pointing and laughing without covering chiropractic care.

I look forward to seeing you soon!

Cheers and Love,
Alex and Sharon

We'll miss you!

Well hello and welcome!

I've read other people's blogs before but have never regularly kept a blog myself (web log for the uninitated).

Since I am moving to Chicago in two weeks where I will have no job, few friends, and most likely, fewer fingers from the freezing temperatures, i might have some time to cope with all of the changes by sharing my thoughts here.

So let's get to it. Here is a random assortment of San Diego memories. For those who were apart of them, bask in the memory. For those who were not apart of a particular memory, i will let your imagination fill inthe blanks. After all, your sense of creativity can enhance my writing where it is lacking.

What better time for new beginnings than the beginning of the year?!
2008 promises a lot of new experiences, challenges and adventures!

Memories I'll take with me to Chicago include, among so many others
* That moment during a conversation when you realize you've met a new friend
* Introducing new friends and ensuring everyone enjoys San Diego
* Proposing to my girl on the beach in Coronado
* Seeing President Clinton speak in Balboa Park after debating Sen. Dole at USD
* Tossing the frisbee or football on the beach with my brother Nick
* Doing the "splits" at Pasquale's
* Rollerblading down Nautilus Street on Mt. Soledad to Bird Rock at 45 mph
* Poker nights and actually winning a pot; BBD, ahem
* Snorkeling La Jolla Cove; sneaking in a few cliff jumps when lifeguards aren't looking
* Kayaking La Jolla Shores when the leopard sharks are in the water
* Sailing the bay in winter; not getting stuck or stranded and having to get rescued
* Meeting Rosa Parks in 1992 at a Mesa College event honoring her
* Charger games and tailgates with people that got as much spirit as me
* Being a "good sport" and sending boistrous fans from opposing teams to Rich's (gay bar) in Hillcrest to celebrate their victory (notably, Steeler fans after MNF in 2005)
* Padres playoff games; attended the World Series in '84 and '98 (ahem, both losses)
* Working for the Padres in college and watching as many home games as I wanted
* Hosting a world record "attempt" for the most Christmas carolers (we had tens and tens of people show up!, but several thousand short of what was needed)
* Biking from Santa Barbara to San Diego in a week; later, Ventura to San Diego
* Getting hired along with a couple of buddies by a talent agency to serve as "Marlborough Men" for a Phillip Morris event; using those new titles to meet women
* Mardi Gras floats in the Gaslamp Parade with people we met along the way
* Beach days at Law Street, bodysurfing; 4th of July on the bay
* Attempting stand-up at the La Jolla Comedy Club (Dean-great, Dave-good, me - bombed)
* Attempting a Poetry Slam at Claire de Lunes cafe (see above ["Me bombed"])
* The quarterly Opal Manor parties (sorry for those of you who got arrested); notables were the Rock Star / Opal Cabana Luau / Red Red Wine / Vodka & Tonica
* Running all over San Diego - clocking a 4:41 mile in high school,10:24 2mi.,17:21 5k, finishing 6 marathons; but the best part was training with friends and catching up
* Lor House parties; notable exception was the deabte watch party where dozens of activists began spontaneously orating after Kerry and Bush concluded, and then sang political parodies, what the...?!)
* The 12 bars of Christmas Pub Crawl that I coordinated for my brother Nick's 21st birthday. We strolled down Garnet from bar to bar singing both Christmas carols and popular pop songs like "Baby Got Back" and "You Shook Me All Night Long." About 100 folks came out. Very fun!
* Earning the rank of Eagle Scout; and all of the community service I did around town, hundreds of camping trips, dozens of hikes, and lots of laughs
* Scootering around town and avoiding traffic while saving gas
* Offering to take photos of tourists so they have a group pic of their day on the beach
* Favorite part about coming home to San Diego is flying over the eye catching Balboa Park and just absolutely loving my hometown.

What's your favorite San Diego memory? Add it here!

I'll try to update as often as I can. Which to me means once a week.

Cheers,
Alex