JosB (Hose Bee as in not Hose A)

My cousin Joe is coming back for a little bit. He has been in Russia for what seems like forever. Cant wait to see him.

Bears in the Playoffs

A little late , but have to mention how great the Bears are and how they are going to win the Super Bowl. I cant believe how good they look with Rex Grossman as there Quarterback it is like they are a whole new team.

Bears playoff tickets go on sale next tuesday. A limited number of tickets for the Bears' NFC divisional playoff game Jan. 14 or 15 at Soldier Field are scheduled to go on sale next Tuesday, Jan. 3, at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster.

Everyone better be ready. I cant wait.

Reebok Classics

I got exactly what I wanted for Christmas new shoes. I got three pairs, white and blue, blue and white and bears blue and orange. I also have my original white and white. These are the greatest shoes and I have been wearing theses shoes since my freshman year of high school. Best Christmas presents ever.

Texas Part II

I had never been to Texas before, it was very interesting. I went to three cities when I was there, Houston, Austin and San Antonio. In Texas they think they are the greatest and that they have, as a state, done nothing wrong. There is nothing wrong with this it is just funny. The people in Texas actually are some of the nicest people I have met.

In Texas it is no problem for anyone and everyone to own or buy a gun. This is kind of creepy, the fact that someone could have a gun at any given time and most likely does. It makes you not pick fights, not that I do that anyway.

They say they do everything bigger and better in Texas there fore when you get a hotdogs it is a foot long and a half a pound of meat. Or instead of an Expedition SUV which is huge to begin with they have a Texas sized Expedition, AKA a mini bus. They do love there trucks in Texas, white pickups in particular, and these are also huge. When thinking of a normal truck it is usually a F150 or 250, not in Texas though they ride in F450 and 550 which are bigger than any truck I have ever seen, the thing seats 7. That is a minivan with a truck bed attached to it, the thing is fricken huge.

In Texas they are also obsessed with the shape of there state and the Texas star. Anywhere it is possible to have one or the other, there it is. Every beer can, every road sign, on the highway walls, and flags everywhere. It is actually quite funny.

San Antonio though was very cool and was probably the best of the cities I went to. I got to see a Spurs game, they won, but the reason San Antonio was so cool is the way there city is set up. The whole city is on a little river, literally on the river. The shrine, the Alamo, is the center of the city. You walk down from the Alamo and there is a whole city down below literally on the river. Instead of a street separating the stores and restaurants its the river, it was very cool.

Houston and Austin were also very fun. All of Texas had great food. There Tex mex, the steaks the Mexican food, it was all amazing. In Houston we went to a small little Spanish restaurant right near Minute Maid Field called Irmas. At the restaurant they did not have menus they just brought us out a plate with all sorts of different spreads it was delicious. They also had a house lemonade that might have been the best lemonade I have ever had.

Another restaurant we went to was called Saltlick and it was just outside of Austin, or so we thought, in a town called Driftwood (nowhere near water). The food here was also excellent they had a deal where you get three servings of meat, (steak, ribs and sausage), also mash potatoes and colslaw. This was enough food for any one person but since we were in Texas the food was all you can eat, I had trouble finishing the one plate. The best thing about this place was the BYOB.

Overall I liked Texas a lot and suggest giving it a try. The temp though I hear gets to be 100 degrees in the summer with 100% humidity so go in the winter when it is 70.

Moe

I good band is coming to town called Moe and I think they are worth checking out. They are more of a jam band than anything else, but defiantly play some really good music. The opening band is actually really good too they are called Disco Biscuits and play some crazy music. I actually so them along time ago at the rave and enjoyed the show a lot so I am really excited for them coming to Chicago. The tickets are cheaper the earlier you get them so if you are going to go I suggest picking them up earlier and forget ticket master they are a complete rip-off.

Feb 2
Aragon Ballroom
1106 West Lawrence Ave
Chicago, IL
all ages
$20

"Early bird" tickets will only be available until 1/3/06 for $20,
From 1/4/06 until 2/2/06, advance tickets will be available for $27.50
Day of show tickets will be $35.

Texas

The stars at night, are big and bright
deep in the heart of Texas,
The prairie sky is wide and high,
deep in the heart of Texas

Sorry I have been on vacation in Texas and could not get to a computer. I do have a few stories though.

Back in a second

Clark Bar

I found a bar that is great for watching Bears games, Clark Bar. It is somewhat of a dive bar and until recently I had not really seen very many people going in and out of this bar, but the reason it is perfect for watching the games is because on Sundays they have free Italian beef sandwiches, hotdogs and buffalo wings. They also have pints of Goose Island for only $3. The people there are great and truly appreciate everyone in the bar. During all big plays and at halftime the owner plays the super bowl shuffle throughout the bar. They also will buy you back drinks every once in awhile which has become rare now-a-days. I have not been to this bar on Friday or Saturday night so I cannot say what it is like other days, but they have really impressed me on Sundays.

Another nice little fact about Clark Bar is that it happens to be next door to the site of the Saint Valentines day Massacre.

Tons of Snow

Last night was insane, 10" of snow fell last night. Which means that today is a great day to go sledding. I was thinking of going back to my old neighborhood in Evanston where they had built a giant slide that was at the top of a little hill. When I was little we used to ride on that thing for hours. I am pretty sure though that they took it down. A kid probably got hurt and the parents pulled the plug on that one, oh well.

There are great places to sled through out Chicago, Warren Park on the north side, Mount Trashmore in Evanston, but one I have been hearing about lately is new because of Soldier Field and Northerly Island. They created a big hill so people going to games or concerts could get a nice view of the city, but it doubles great as a sledding hill. Check it out, you know you all want to.

The Sullivan Brother's

A really good Irish band that my uncles are in called The Sullivan Brothers will be playing a benefit at the Irish Heritage Center on Thursday this week. Not only is the band really good to listen and dance to, but the atmosphere in the Irish Heritage Center brings out the best in people also. They are playing for a good cause and everyone should really think about going if they have a chance on Thursday.

Sullivan Brother's Band Year End Extravaganza

December 8, 2005 - 6pm to 10 pm

Irish American Heritage Center

4626 N. Knox Ave, Chicago

Honoring Sister Theresa Sullivan's return to Chicago to minister in the Daughters of Charity/St. Joseph Services Outreach Program, which provides much needed support to high-risk Chicago area families. Join us and enjoy good music, friendly banter, light fare and drink! Plus, this may be your only chance to hear Irish Christmas Ballads!!!

$25 donation to Daughters of Charity/St. Joseph Services

Also, collecting new or nearly new donations for the children at St. Joseph Services after School Program at Casa de Providencia:

Books for 6th through 8th grade children

Education Software age 10 to 14

Children\'s Toys unwrapped for holiday distribution

RSVP: 773-278-0484 or email stjosephseervices@sbcglobal.net

If you unable to attend, donations may be sent to

St. Joseph Services

2516 W. Cortez St.

Chicago, IL 60622

New Hat

My green hat has gone into a semi retirement as of yesterday. I got a new hat and really like it. It is a hat from the Negro Leagues in 1947, The Black Yankees, it is pretty original and I am almost positive no one else has it.

The shower curtain did come in yesterday and has a ton of detail on it it even has places marked like the BaHai temple in Wilmette all the way to random conservatory's on the south side it is amazing. The only thing though is it had a ridiculously strong new plastic odor when we hung it up and our entire apartment reeked it has subsided now though.

I have a football game tomorrow and I think I am playing quarterback, cant wait. Wish me luck.

Shower Curtain

I hope my new shower curtain comes in today. How great is this thing? The entire "L" map is on the curtain, brilliant.