June 27th, 2008
It takes a certain type of person who can have an adventure catching a train. I’ve had a few, one of which I described in yesterday’s post. I was wearing sturdy, four-inch heeled, beautiful, pink and white sandals, a pink dress with a layered-ruffle skirt, and toting two computers as I ran, desperate not to miss the train to Kankakee.
Once on, it took me a few minutes to catch my breath. Then that was that; the train was moving, and I was en route to The Daily Journal headquarters. I wondered if this train had a lounge car. I could use a cup of coffee and a bit of breakfast.
Another lady had the same thoughts. When the conductor punched her ticket before punching mine, she asked. “Yes, the lounge car’s in the front,” I overheard his reply. “We’ll get the tickets and there will be an announcement when it opens.”
I felt like this lady and I were kindred spirits, and was tempted to turn to her and smile and say, “You read my mind.” Yet I realized that part of my current emotion had to do with the fact that I’d just caught a train I almost missed, and I felt the train fates were rewarding me by offering me a meal. This lady likely didn’t feel nearly as delighted as I there was a lounge car, so I refrained from saying anything and opted to let her have a peaceful breakfast.
She was shortly before me in a growing line once the lounge car opened. She ordered coffee and juice and left. I ordered coffee and juice and an egg and cheese sandwich that was popped in the microwave.
The lounge attendant set my order up in a handy carry box. I sat down at a table. The egg and cheese sandwich was still in plastic. I started to read the ingredients label. It was a long list of terms I didn’t understand, so I stopped reading and opened it up. I was too hungry to care, and I wanted to indulge in the breakfast the train fates allowed me.
I took the cup of coffee back to my seat, walking from car to car, pressing “PUSH” buttons to open doors to each car, as the train continued zipping along the track.
Back at my seat, I noticed there were electrical outlets at each set of seats. Good if I brought a laptop computer that functioned. The one I had in possession was being brought to the office tech team for repair.
I gazed out the window as we crossed prairie, faded red barns, green cornfields with lush, young crops, and silos in the distance. The train whistle blew, and I relished in the resonance.
This was a 9:15 a.m. train that I had something to do with its leaving at 9:16 or 9:17. We were due in Kankakee at 10:22. How easy is this? I pondered. A lot of people must use this train to commute between jobs.
I wondered about them. I wondered what it was like on the evening rush hour train back to Chicago. Did workers gather in the lounge car for social hour? How many friendships formed as folks let off steam at the end of the day.
We arrived in sunny Kankakee, this sunny morning a bit after 10:30. No blame on me for the late arrival; the train had been paused on the track to let a freight train get through.
The conductor kindly lifted the desktop computer in my luggage, and the laptop computer in the box as long as my arm, off the train for me. Now the computers were back in my stead. I propped the box against the long luggage handle and rolled them both to the office.
A lady inside was kind enough to dial a cab company and hand me the phone. “I’m at the train station and I need to get to The Daily Journal, 8 Dearborn Square,” I spoke to the dispatcher.
The woman behind the desk waved her hands. “That’s two blocks away,” she said.
“Is it?” I said, and spoke into the phone. “Sorry, Sir, I don’t need a cab. I guess I can walk.”
The lady stepped outside and pointed to exactly where the newspaper building was. I propped the box against the handle again and rolled everything past the public fountain, waited at a couple stoplights, crossed a couple streets.
It’s a good thing I grew up on a farm, I said to myself as I neared The Daily Journal front door, where the statue of an ambitious paperboy stood. Not many women would oblige taking on these high heels the way I just did. And I was sure that my years growing up, lugging pails of water to the animals, climbing fences to get to the other side and working fields, had something to do with my tenacity in this situation. Back then I wasn’t pleased with the task at hand, either, yet the underlying voice was, “tough or not, get it done.”
And I did again. Inside, receptionist Shelonne welcomed me and asked me how the drive was. “I took the train,” I told her. “It was so easy!” I’d already forgotten what happened before I’d stepped on the train to take the train. What resonated was the pleasant ride, and the close distance to the paper, and the fact that I was here in my pretty dress and pretty shoes, computers and chocolate in tow.
What’s that they say about the journey being more important than the destination? Well, it’s not always accurate; I had pleasant rest of the day meeting with and mingling with Daily Journal staff.
Anticipating a day with them was the reason I chose to wear the high-heeled pink shoes in the first place. I didn’t set out suspecting the pink shoes would animate my journey.
Yet they just happened to, and they helped me look pretty, and show my respect to staff, as I navigated about my destination.
*****That night Susy Schultz gave me a ride to Chicago. Lucky for me. It turns out, sadly, that the next train from Kankakee to Chicago wasn’t scheduled to depart till 9 p.m. I say sadly, because that eliminates my ideas of business day excursions to Kankakee.
To check the Amtrak Chicago-Kankakee train schedule, visit the Amtrak web site or call 800-USA-RAIL. Tonight: Free Dutch jazz concert 7 p.m., at the Old Town School of Music, 4544 N. Lincoln. Reserve the free tickets by calling (773) 728-6000.
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June 25th, 2008
I never buy a pair of shoes I can’t dance in. The shoe-rule covers brisk walks. But when the Amtrak attendant advised me to “run like hell” to catch the train to Kankakee, I hoped my prized high-heeled pink and white sandals could get me to the conductor on time.
See, I was going to visit The Daily Journal headquarters for a seminar and other business, including bringing in a lap top and desktop computer for repair. The gents who requested I bring in the computers didn’t know I was taking a train and not a car – to me it didn’t matter. I’d anticipated an easy cab-to-train, train-to-cab exchange in transport.
The pink shoes, and the Union Station to-train experience de-simplified that anticipation.
I had to catch a 9:15 a.m. train. I caught a cab in time to support my original “simple” anticipation. I let the cabby know of my need to hit the station ASAP. “I’ll get you there,” he said with sincerity, and without trepidation. He took Lower Wacker Drive.
I watched the time as we buzzed with traffic. This would not be the first time I had to rush through a train station. I was practiced at it. This time, all I had to do was get my pre-purchased ticket and ask an attendant at which gate was my train.
The cabby got me there at 9:05. Good timing. However, I had to drag my suitcase and lug the computer box against a sea of rush hour folks pouring out of the station. I had to take two slow escalators to the proper level. I had to type in my confirmation number to print the ticket. Fine enough. To the info desk!
There was no attendant. To the other info desk!
No attendant there.
I studied the ticket. No gate mentioned. I saw a man in uniform, and inquired. “Kankakee?” he said. “That’s Amtrak. I’m with Metra. I don’t know where the train is.” He suggested I ask a ticket desk clerk. I rushed to the ticket desk, in a panic now, and inquired.
Gate E, she said, bored with me already, and oozed directions to the gate.
So me, on my tall pink and white shoes, in my pretty pink dress to match, lugging two computers, a shoulder bag and chocolates for staff I was to meet, maneuvered around passengers for other trains who weren’t in a hurry – to reach Gate E as the attendant was roping it off.
“Ma’am,” I urged, “Kankakee?”
She opened the rope. “Track 22. Hurry.” She spoke into the walkie-talkie. “Train 391, you have a passenger on the platform.”
I arrived at the edge of the platform, and implored with the attendant there. “Kankakee?”
“Straight ahead!” he pointed.
I hurried by him. “On the right?”
“Yes, run like hell!”
I took him seriously. Trains in their originating stations tended to leave on time. And I, a tardy passenger, would have little impact on that commitment to the schedule. Yet if the conductor saw me running to make the train, especially in my tall shoes and pink dress, he would have to be absolutely heartless to board without me.
Train platforms are long. It took awhile before I spotted the conductor standing outside the entrance car. He was a spot in the distance, watching me, until he took heart and hurried up to take the long box out of my grappling.
He lifted it on the car for me, and lifted my suitcase. I stepped up, took over and lugged everything to a seat, and settled in breathlessly. There was actually a fellow who stepped on just after I. He was a tardy passenger, too, having rushed himself. I wasn’t the only one in the world.
Tomorrow, I’ll elaborate on the train ride.
To check the Amtrak Chicago-Kankakee train schedule, visit the Amtrak web site or call 800-USA-RAIL.
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June 22nd, 2008
Done right my 2008 computer karma would make an engaging sitcom. It would be farcical, representing computer-dependents, and the plight of Internet dependents. My own plight prevented my wishing all those wonderful fathers out there a Happy Father’s Day. Last weekend, the “Letter” weblog was stuck on the latest post, with no options for comments, or for me to sign in to honor dads.
A belated Happy Father’s Day to all the pasionate fathers who love their kids and watch out for them.
Sometimes in life you need to play catch-up, per things like computer mishaps. And that could feed into my sitcom about hinky computer karma.
So far in 2008 I’ve experienced: A desktop computer video card crash, and a computer servicer who gave every excuse in the world for his taking from days to several weeks re: fixing and returning my computer to me.
Once the computer was returned, less than two weeks later the hard drive crashed.
Meanwhile, the word-processing only lap top crashed. My company, SNS newspapers, supplied me a new notebook computer, which recently froze at the “Welcome” screen, freezing access to it and my files on it.
I’d ordered a new desk top, carefully with tech guidance, to take my recently purchased $200.00 video card (that had replaced the original problem - the crashed video card).
Got the new desk top. The video card physically was too large for the desk top. SNS newspapers staff ordered a new video card. It didn’t fit, either.
To boot (not at all suited to the pun), my e-mail services froze up my e-mail three times so far this year, losing incoming and outgoing mail till after I’d discovered the problem and spent hours on the phone for tech staff to fix.
In January, when the first of the year’s computer woes started, I resorted to going to Internet Cafes to continue work and correspondence. I was schlepping during seasonal dangerous temperatures. I continuously put on the clothing layers and took on the frigidness to persist in work. As one born in Minnesota, I took a little pride in that. Being a pioneer who ventured out of the home office, despite dangerous weather, trumped any whining.
The collective computer connundrums potentially festered to a sitcom idea that collects tragedy and comedy. Most folks who use computers understand the irony on how computers save time and how they in a giga-second, can remove one from functioning and rob them from business data and correspondence.
My own computer mishaps in this year alone have made me hysterical, so why wouldn’t others guffaw?
Guffaw. I love the word. Aloud it suggests a slight choke or cough within a boisterous laugh. It would be the perfect response to my 2008 series of computer mishaps, and to the sitcom named after them.
All that aside, I was invited to the Kankakee Daily Journal headquarters for a “”features” seminar and to touch bases with staff. When tech staff learned that I planned to visit, they suggested I bring my defunct lap top, and the desktop that awaited the appropriate video card.
The tech staff didn’t know I planned to travel sans car. I decided it wasn’t important to tell them. How easy, taking taxi to train, train to Kankakee, taxi to The Daily Journal corporate office. I need not concern them.
The desktop could fit in my roll-suitcase, which it did. The lap top, in a box to be returned, was doable via my extra arm, outstretched. Why need I worry tech staff?
No need. The worry, I later encountered, was to be in me and my tendency to be last minute, and my choosing my pink and white sandals to go with the day outfit.
It was an active decision. Normally, I reject open-toed shoes for a professional office situation. Yet these shoes, with high, fuschia heels, with white and pink hugging the foot, comforted an exception. They were the saddle shoes of sandals, and as convertibles to the foot, they were Rolls Royce, with well-placed buttons, and shiny white leather trimed in pink. My toenails were manicured and painted fuschia to match the celebration.
These shoes were the perfect accompaniment to my select pink dress, with a ruffle-rows skirt. A person dresses well to respect themselves, I believe, and to respect the persons they encounter. This outfit was to respect all involved, plus to celebrate summer.
The next morning, early on my clock, I donned the pink dress and respectable shoes, toted the computers, and headed to Union Statioon to catch a train to The Daily Journal headquarters. It turned out to be an adventure. I’ll share more next time.
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June 19th, 2008
Options for Chicagoans and visitors this weekend include enjoying delicious food and live entertainment, rooting for their team at “Crosstown Classics,” working out outside or going inside for a Summer Tropical Show. Here are a few details.
The 11th annual Taste of Randolph Street, on Randolph Street just west of Hudson, is Fri.-Sun., June 20-22.
Enjoy food from local restaurants in the Culinary Pavilion and live entertainment. Check out wares available by artists and world market vendors. For more info, visit here or call (312) 458-9401.
Cubs vs. White Sox “Crosstown Classics” June 20-22. The northsiders against the southsiders in baseball this weekend. For more info, visit the Cubs site or the White Sox site.
Free Workouts in Millennium Park: Chicagoans and visitors may partake in Yoga, Pilates, Dance, Tai Chi and Family Workoutson The Jay Pritzker Pavilion Great Lawn, on the Randolph side of Millennium Park, 8 a.m.-11 a.m. Saturdays June 7-September 27
Yoga starts at 8 a.m., Pilates at 9 a.m., and Dance starts at 10 a.m. every Saturday. This weekend the Dance is “To The Beat of the Drum with Amaniyea Payne of Muntu Dance Theater of Chicago” African dance workshop.
For more info, visit here or call (312) 742-1168.
Kenny Chesney in Concert at Solder Field, 1410 S. Museum Campus Drive, at 4 p.m. Sat. June 21. Tickets are $66.50-$99.50, and may be ordered through TicketMaster by calling (312) 559-1212.
For more information on this event, visit here or call (312) 235-7000.
Summer Tropical Show at Lincoln Park Conservatory, 2391 N. Stockton Drive, daily 9 a.m.-5 p.m.now through Sept. 21. Enjoy tropical blooms and greenery in the historic glass house. The Conservatory is located at the southeast corner of Stockton and Fullerton. For more information, call (312) 742-7736.
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June 14th, 2008
To Maureen who had commented on the May 22 weblog, seeking a television show tape: I’d e-mailed the info to you, yet in case you haven’t received it, find it below. This she sought for a Father’s Day present, and wish her and her family the best.
Folks who plan to bring their fathers to Chicago to celebrate, might want to amble the river walk, along the Chicago River, as far east as Lake Shore Drive, and as far west as LaSalle Street. Enjoy quick-food places as well as restaurants while enjoying the river view and boaters passing by.
Off the beaten path, on the north side of Chicago, Viet Bistro and Lounge offers friendly-priced French Vietnamese cuisine in a white-table cloth, exposed brick, loft setting. The restaurant celebrates Father’s Day with lunch and dinner specials. Dad receives a complimentary special martini and dessert. Or he may enjoy a free appetizer with a bottle of wine order.
Viet Bistro is in the Loyola University neighborhood. Metered parking is available on Devon Street. For more info and for reservations, call (773) 465-5720.
This is the first weekend for the Chicago SummerDance season in the Spirit of Music Garden, 601 S. Michigan Ave. Start with one-hour dance lessons and then dance with Dad to live band music.
Visit here to check out some downtown Chicago parking locations and specials.
***For Maureen, and others seeking a Rick Kogan Show interview copy, send a check payable to the City of Chicago for $25; put Cable 25 in the memo portion; and to enclose a note with her mailing information and specify the interview. Send it all to Cable 25, Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St., Chicago, IL 60602.
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June 12th, 2008
The 12th annual Chicago SummerDance starts this weekend, and runs Thursdays-Sundays through Aug. 24. Over 100,000 Chicagoans and visitors are expected to join in the dance this season.
Chicago SummerDance is an outdoor venue in the Spirit of Music Garden, 601 S. Michigan Ave. Festivities begin with dance lessons followed by dancing to a live band. This weekend’s schedule includes Plena Libre Puerto Rican tropical band June 12, The Hoyle Brothers honky tonk band June 13, George Gee and the Jump Jivin’ Wailers swing band June 14, and The Steve Cooper Orchestra big band on Fathers Day.
The schedule is weather-permitting. Admission is free. For more info, SummerDance times, visit here or call the Chicago SummerDance Hotline at (312) 742-4007.
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June 10th, 2008
The summertime Family Fun Festival in Millennium Park is underway, with two sessions: June 3-July 12,, and July 16-Sept. 1.
The Family Fun Tent, in the park Chase Proemenade North, is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Inside enjoy an Activity Zone featuring hands-on activities like crafts and gardening, and a Performance Stage with live entertainment. June 9-15 the Activity Zone features a “Garden Party.” Activities include making crafts and learning about the unique plants in the Millennium Park Lurie Garden.
The Festival also includes scheduled live performances in the Jay Pritzker Pavilion. For more info, visit here or call (312) 742-1168.
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June 5th, 2008
The online silent auction closed at 9 last night. The “‘Letter from Chicago’” package donated by SNS Newspapers, LLC and “Letter,” sold for $125. I was confused, as I saw it marked as “SOLD” at 8:56 p.m. Will try to find out why the item closed early.
The other package I contributed, under my company, Detour Productions, is moved to the live auction at the related “Taste of the Great Lakes” event at Shaw’s Crab House, 6 p.m.-9 p.m. tonight. For more details on the event, visit here.
The Great Lakes provide 20 percent of the world’s freshwater supply, and provide drinking water to 42 million folks in the United States and Canada.
The event tonight, as well as the online silent auction I announced earlier, benefit The Alliance for the Great Lakes, an organization with the mission to protect our freshwaters.
It’s nice to have a watchdog like that, to guard political issues and chase big businesses that hurt our lakes. Thank you to SNS Newspapers, LLC for supporting my time and effort to contribute a “Letter” package to this cause.
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June 4th, 2008
In my dreams I’ll be watching The Alliance for the Great Lakes online silent auction minutes before closing to witness bidders duking it out for winning bids. The online auction closes at 9 tonight, yet bidders could extend that time.
The silent auction offers great items, like Cubs tickets, White Sox paraphernalia, vacation getaways, and two items contributed by me. Bidders have a chance to get something fabulous for a deal, and to benefit The Alliance for the Great Lakes.
So why not position for their win-win situation? This being an online event, they will experience no physical harm, as long as they take deep breaths instead of being huffing upset, and if they do neck, arm and wrist stretches.
The package that I contributed through “Letter from Chicago” offers a Segway lakefront tour, Shedd All Access Passes, and a Tall Ship Windy Skyline Tour. It’s a chance for two people to have fun in Great Lakes venues. The venues add up to a $270 value. The top bid now is $115. I hope someone challenges that bid by throwing in $10 or more extra.
I also have a silent auction package through my new company Detour Productions. This one contains venues outside Chicago — in Milwaukee and in Muskegon, centered around a Lake Express ferry that travels between the two ports.
Why, I hope to see bidders duking it out over that, too. After all, the venue items (add them up!) come to over $750, even though the auction site lists them as $600.
I’d love to sign on just before 9 tonight, and see bidders at it. If they bid within five minutes before closing, they could prompt a five-minute extension for that item, then another five minutes if they’re challenged. Click on the “Bid Extension” on any item you bid, for details.
Some items are going have extended bidding to the “Taste of the Great Lakes” live auction, tomorrow night. Absentee bidding will be represented. These items will have a “Live Event Item” link at the bottom of the item, that offers details.
Aw, who doesn’t love a good fight? I hope to see bidders duking it out tonight, as The Alliance for the Great Lakes is to reap the spoils — as top bidders finally jump up and down like Rocky, then turn in their money to the Alliance and go to enjoy their win.
You may also find info on the “Letter from Chicago” package at jacquee-t.com, and info on my company’s “Detour” package at the “Detour” web site.
Visit The Alliance for the Great Lakes web site and select the “Taste of the Great Lakes” icon to access all the bidding options, and go for it!
Posted by Jacquee T. | No Comments »
June 3rd, 2008
The annual “Taste of the Great Lakes,” benefiting The Alliance for the Great Lakes, is Thursday. Right now there’s an online silent auction, and “Letter from Chicago” contributed a package for bidding.
The package is for two, and includes these items donated by the venues: Tall Ship Windy Skyline Cruise, All Access Passes to the Shedd Aquarium, and a a lakefront Segway Tours certificate. The package is topped off by a pamphlet with articles written by me featuring the donating venues and my own experience with the Great Lakes.
The donated venues add up to a $270 value. That’s not including the limited-print of the “‘Letter from Chicago’ Loves the Great Lakes.”
Last time I checked, the leading bid was $115. The bidding closes Wed. June 4th, at 9 p.m.
Here’s where it gets interesting. A motivating silent auction rule is: “The auction closing time is extended on an item each time a new bid is placed during the last five minutes of an auction. The item’s closing time will continue to extend in five-minute increments as long as there is continued bidding. The item will automatically close when there is a five-minute extension period with no new bids.”
That means that at the official silent auction closing, people could be bidding like crazy trying to nudge each other out. I hope they do — on all items, not just the “Letter.” There are many fabulous packages, like CUBS tickets, BLACKHAWKS tickets, and cruise packages. It’s for an important cause!
My company, Detour Productions, also contributed a package to the silent auction. The donated items in this one add up to over $750 — however, it is listed on the auction site of having a $600 value. So, bidders are really vying for a bargain.
For info on the online silent auction, visit here. The “‘Letter from Chicago’ Loves the Great Lakes” package is listed with an image of a tall ship against a cloudy Chicago skyline. The “Detour Productions Loves the Great Lakes” package is listed with a pink rose and Lake Michigan in the background.
“Taste of the Great Lakes 2008″ is at Shaw’s Crab House, 21 E. Hubbard St., 6 p.m.-9 p.m. Thurs. June 5. Festivities include live Blues, and savoring regional fare. Tickets are $95 in advance / $105 at the door. For more info, vist here.
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