Rapture

So I have been a bit busy lately and have not updated anything since I went to Next.  Other than my normal busy weeks of volleyball, kickball and running we had our mid-season party for kickball, my roomies birthday, and a beautiful spring/summer day.  I am really ready for the good weather to stay but currently as I am writing this is it 48 degrees and raining, very different from Sunday and Mondays 80+ temperatures.

Friday started out like any other Friday with work but that is where it ended.  The whole day Groupon was offering “Now Deals” for $1 and I really wanted to use one.  I spent a good portion of the day trying to find time to get the Groupon for Bobtail Ice Cream but that was just not in the cards Friday.  Right after work I came home went for a run and then left immediately after that to start my evening.  My friend Karen was having a birthday party so I went over there and we grilled out and drank some wine and played some board games.  I had to leave the birthday party early to attend a kickball event that was also going on that night.

I have been playing kickball both seasons in Chicago since 2009.  So this current season marks my 5th season with WAKA.  I have built quite a collection of the same shirts but I am glad we switch up colors a little bit.  I have green, olive, and now red colored shirts.  I could wear an entire weeks’ worth of cloths and they would all say WAKA.  Friday night marked this season’s mid-season party which was held at Durkins.  Oh, Durkins the many of nights I have spent over indulging at this Chicago establishment and Friday was no different.  For the low low price of $10 for 3 hours open bar with call drinks and draft beer how can one go wrong?  It was nice to see everyone out and in real cloths (not WAKA shirts) and just hang out with people and have a great Friday night.

Saturday started very early and was very very packed.  I woke up at 7:30am to get ready to run errands and make it to boxing at LPAC by 8:30.  After a great work out at boxing I rushed home and got ready for my roommate Beth’s birthday party.  We left the house at piled into taxis to get over to the train station to catch the Metra out to Arlington Park Race Track.

Many of us were still hung-over from the night before but seeing us all dressed in our derby attire brightened the morning.  Once we arrived at Arlington Park we went up to the party suite Beth’s dad had rented for the party.  We were in the Miller Lite Party Deck which came with an open bar as well as a buffet.

We spent the majority of the day betting on horses and watching the races.  Between races we were enjoying the buffet of sandwiches, hot dogs, pasta salad, wings, and vegies.  The pasta salad was amazing!  Outside on the patio portion of the suite were cornhole and tables and a view of the far side of the track and the paddocks.  All around this was a great space with plenty to offer and great views of the track for watching the horses.  I however did not do so well with the betting on the horses though I did win a little bit on the Preakness which was simulcast at the track.  I did have a great time just enjoying friends and a nice day out at the park.  It was a good mix up from the norm of city life.

MORE PHOTOS

After the final races were finished the majority of us hopped back onto Metra and took it back down into the city.  Once we arrived back we headed to Louie’s Pub for some ordered in dinner and some karaoke.  Beth really likes her karaoke but I think she might have been showed up by Tyler and Nancy’s rendition of “A Whole New World” from “Aladdin”.

Our time at Louie’s Pub ended shortly after when an incredibly bitchy bachelorette party came in.  I don’t generally get pissed off at complete strangers but I wanted to get myself kicked out of the bar for throwing my beer at her to ruin her night just like she was ruining everyone else’s night on how absolutely rude she was being.  She had 2 tables reserved next to the tables we were at and she was trying to kick our group out of the table because she needed all the seats.  Apparently she needed 1 seat for herself and about 3 more for her ego.  Good luck to whatever idiot guy is marrying that girl.  I am hearing a 2 year divorce in their future.

After we all went our separate ways I ended up in Logan Square at a friend’s themed party.  The theme was spring formal and since I was still dressed from the races I was already dressed for the party.  It was a lot of fun though we only stayed about an hour before myself and Nicole and Nikki left and went to Lincoln Station to close out the night.  It was a long but super enjoyable day filled with memories that will last a long time I am sure.

Some of us Kickballers

When I woke up Sunday the sun was out, the birds were chirping, and the world was still here.  The so called Rapture did not happen.  No kidding I could have told you that it was a bunch of crap.  The RVs said the bible guarantees it.  How can you guarantee something that is an interpretation of a story that was told and then written down and then translated and then translated again into modern language?   I mean do we get our money back? Was this a Satisfaction guarantee? What kind of guarantee do we get because I want my refund. 

Since we are all still alive I went to brunch at Rock’s with my friend Kate.  We sat on the patio since it was such a nice warm day and at one point I had to move into the shade because it got too warm sitting directly in the sun.  Rock’s is a one of those great little neighborhood bars with a very nice patio and great food.  After lunch I thought about going to the beach to play some volleyball but I elected to just sit on the front porch and enjoy the day and hung out with my friend Ashley.  I did decide to be a little active so I went for a six mile run along the lake front.  I really love warm days when there is a slightly cooler breeze coming in off the water.  There is just that sense of summer in the air.

I decided that it was a really nice day I should grab my bike and do something I have not done in a long long time.  I just went for a bike ride.  I did not have a destination in mind I just grabbed my camera and went biking.  I stopped and hung out in the very spot I sat when I came to visit my friend Ashley back in 2008 where I considered the offer I had received for my job I have now in Chicago.  Once my friend, Rachel, met up we just continued on biking and ended up at Navy Pier of all places.  The drinks sucked and the food was decent but very overpriced.  It’s funny how tourist love that place yet locals find it annoying.  I am looking forward to the new Lakefront Flyover that is planned for the lake trail at Navy Pier.  All in all it was a fabulous weekend that was jam packed.  I have no idea how I was able to fit it all in but somehow I did and I loved every bit of it!

View of Chicago from where I like to sit and think