I went home last weekend, leaving Ridge Warren at noon, and arriving in Woodstock at around 3pm. I immediately got a haircut, and then picked some movies up. I figured I had three things to do this weekend

1. see my parents
2. send the old powerbook to Apple
3. watch movies on a big screen TV

and I accomplished all three. So Friday night I saw Rush Hour and Pleasantville.I'm looking forward to getting the soundtrack to Pleasantville. Simpler music from a simpler age. Then Saturday night I went buck wild and got fourmovies and watched them starting with a matinee of Lost in Space finally, and going on a three run shot that night with Deep Impact, What Dreams May Come, and The Seige. I am also looking forward to the soundtrack from What Dreams May Come. Best movie of the weekend? What Dreams May Come hands down. So now my list of movies to see has dwindled just a little bit.

I have been offered and accepted a position as a software engineer at WExcel in downtown Chicago. I'm currently working part time until July, when I start full. It's a great job, it's a great opportunity, and I couldn't pass it up. And so today I learned to use Cold Fusion, a rapid web development system. And so the job search is over, and I move into the next step of growing up, finding a place to live. I've heard good things about Lincoln Park and also the Ravenswood brown line area. But it's got to be close to some public transportation, and riding the Metra or the El is going to be second nature soon enough. In other news, I finished up the second book I got from the library, and now am moving on to a third, Eric Von Lustbader's Angel Eyes, the same guy who brought us such thrillers as The Ninja and Floating City.

I've always been a big fan of soundtracks as a music source. I usually don't like a particular type of music for an extended period of time, and as movies tend to go through different moods, I get a nice range of music through Soundtracks. And recently I've been growing my collection. Over the past week or so, I've added Pleasantville, Dawson's Creek, Hackers, Lolita, The Matrix, Pi, Strange Days, What Dreams May Come, and When We Were Kings. I've actually exhausted my list of Soundtracks to get, so I think that's a good thing. In other audio news I downloaded lots of Ani DiFranco songs in mp3 format. I still don't know which album (or albums) to get of hers. Let me know of any suggestions. I'm on Secret Service Detail tonight for the President of ASG. Hope nothing goes wrong on that front. And I still have to find a place to live, but on the L ride backon the brown line there were some definite nice neighborhoods just north of the city. Hmmmm.

So today The Phantom Menace opened to mixed reviews. But I still haven't seen it, nor have tickets to go see it. The pressure just really isn't there yet. I'm planning on going Friday morningat McClurg downtown. I don't think the morning shows sell out. I'm tryingto get into a jockey ad for ultimate to appear in SI sometime. The Vomit Monkeys, or five of them, will get the chance to bear their boxers for the camera and get to watch college nationals this year in Boulder, CO. I've been going on a little too little sleep as of late, and maybe, just maybe it's starting to catch up with me. Work is work and I started looking at places to live, to really live, after school. I went down to Belmont for really my first time tonight with Jessica. I also played some pickup at Deering on this most glorious day. Saturday brings the annual Old vs. Young game of the Vomit Monkeys. Not really going to be a challenge, but when there's a crowd, it's more about showboating then absolutely demolishing the young whippersnappers.

So I went yesterday morning to see the phantom menace, 10:15 am at McClurgCourt. There was already a line forming at 9am. Incredible! But it was no problem getting a ticket, and the theater was actually about 1/4 full or so. So to the movie itself, it's good, at least I think so when it's taken into consideration that it's part of a six film story arc. The foreknowledge of some things having seen Episodes Iv, V, and VI takes something away from Episode 1. But the cool thing is that the Jedi kick so much ass. Can't wait to see more of them. So another three years until the next one. That's a long time. I also saw Entrapment last night. Good movie, entertaining.I've got to spend more time downtown, especially since I'm working down therenow. Got to get to know the area, to know the places to go, the quiet places, and nice places, it's going to be good being in Chicago.

I met with a couple high school friends yesterday night; theymet me downtown with Jessica in tow for dinner and some Chicagoaction. We ate at Heaven on Seven, actually on Two, at 600 N.Michigan Ave. It was pretty good. They, James and Case, madefun of the crawfish I had for dinner. We went searching forice cream but got lost at the Big Borders across from Water TowerPlace. We finally got some Baskin Robbins back up in Evanston,and I settled for the Mint Chocolate Chip/Strawberry CheesecakeDouble scoop. I played some more ultimate today, IM's, on Shelly'sand Jessica's team. This thursday I'll have to play against themas the finals for Co-ed IM ultimate is ISP vs. Jaundice. There'salso a captains' meeting for CUSLthis thursday at Schuba's. I've started reading some more Gibson,currently Burning Chrome, a collection of short storiesincluding Johnny Mnemonic.

Another 'Dillo Day weekend at NU, another weekend at Centrals in Kalamazoo, MI. So that's where I'm headed this weekend, with the team known there as We Bop Drums, which isn't a permanent name. It's the team formerly known as Godzilla. Then on Monday starts off CUSL and my status as captain for the second summer. I finally got my captain's t-shirt from last year at the meeting yesterday, which was cool. Tonight I'm going to go to a Cake concert, instead of parties in preparation for 'dillo day. I figure why not.

Crazy days. The Cake concert went well. A pretty good mix of old and new, but I'm still waiting for either Mr. Mastodon or I bombed Korea. After that was a drop in on the Lizard Bash at Sig Ep, which turned out to be a bust since JT was a little ill so I didn't get a chance to see him, nor did I see Jessica or Shelly there.I then chilled with Monica, Eddie, and Luke and Aaron from the NU ultimate scene. We had some BK and planned on going to Dueces until a certain asian stopped feeling good. So we just sat and talked at Monica's place for a bit. I'm leaving for Kalamazoo in approximately 3 hours, so I shouldstart packing.

A good weekend out in the sun, with the Chicago Area Team known atCentrals at We Bop Drums. Played a lot of ultimate, good ultimate,with some good people. And it was hot in Kalamazoo, MI. Good andhot and sunny. I tried to work on my tan, but it just didn't seemto make me that dark. I camped out with Jeremy and Marc and BillySaturday night. First time camping in a really really long time.It was nice. The all nighter from the previous night killed me early,so i got plenty of sleep. But overall, a good weekend of ultimateand fun.