Law passed on malpractice caps

By Kevin McDermott
Post-Dispatch
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — With the Metro East area being held up as the state’s poster child for doctor shortages, the Illinois Legislature approved on Monday a long-sought $500,000 limit on “pain and suffering” lawsuit awards against doctors. Gov. Rod Blagojevich will sign it into law, his office confirmed Monday. The bill — the culmination of a massive two-year political and public-relations battle between doctors and lawyers — also would limit hospitals’ noneconomic damages to $1 million per suit. And it would impose procedural reforms on lawyers, doctors and insurance companies. At issue is whether medical malpractice suits are out of control and are driving up liability insurance rates for doctors — and driving many of them out of the state. The Metro East area, known for an aggressive litigation culture, is considered the epicenter of what some say is a crisis of medical access. The “cap” bill passed with downstate Democrats joining Republicans to push it through, over opposition from the Chicago Democrats who usually dominate Illinois government. “The long lines at the emergency rooms at St. Anthony’s Hospital and Alton Memorial Hospital . . . are a fact,” state Rep. Daniel Beiser, D-East Alton, said in a House floor debate that lasted almost three hours. “People are going to the emergency rooms because they’ve lost their personal physicians.” At one point during the debate, state Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, directly blamed Democratic leaders for the fate of a Carbondale, Ill., firefighter who was permanently disabled by a head injury. Bost said no neurosurgeon was available in the local area to treat the injury, so he had to be transported to St. Louis for treatment. “Over the last two years, because of the Democrat leadership, . . . we have not acted” on the malpractice issue, Bost said in a speech thick with sarcasm. “Credit is due to people who have dragged their feet on this issue. Credit is due to the people who have played politics with this issue.” ``Things have come apart in the Metro East . . . . . . when you have to go to St. Louis just to have a baby,’’ state Sen. David Luechtefeld, R-Okawville, said during Senate debate.Opponents of the measure argued that even if there is a malpractice insurance crisis that’s driving doctors out of Illinois, it’s wrong to address it by limiting what injured patients can receive. “If the problem for doctors is higher premiums, then the thing we ought to be capping is premiums, not the awards of people who are injured by negligent doctors!” thundered state Rep. Louis Lang, D-Chicago. He railed at what he called the immorality of caps. The measure wouldn’t limit economic damages, such as medical bills and lost wages, which doctors can be ordered to pay to injured patients based on their actual expected expenses. The noneconomic damages capped by the bill — also known as pain-and-suffering damages — are more subjective and, critics contend, more frequently abused by juries. Unlike Missouri and many other states, Illinois does not allow punitive damages, which are designed to punish plaintiffs for especially egregious behavior. Opponents of caps say pain-and-suffering awards are the only tool available to give just compensation to, say, a woman who has the wrong breast amputated because of a doctor’s carelessness. Such a plaintiff wouldn’t necessarily have high medical bills to be covered, couldn’t show a large loss of wages, and in Illinois couldn’t seek punitive damages. Critics say if there are limits placed on the only kind of damages left — pain and suffering — she might have trouble getting an attorney to take her case. Such caps will have “a disproportionate impact on some of our most vulnerable citizens. It’s not right, it’s not fair, and it’s not legal,” said state Rep. John Fritchey, D-Chicago. “We don’t trust juries anymore,” he said. “Juries are not stupid. It’s this bill that’s not too bright.” The bill passed the House on Monday afternoon on a 68-46 vote. The Senate later approved it on a 36-22 vote. Most of the “no” votes were cast by Chicago-area Democrats.State Rep. Wyvetter Younge, D-East St. Louis, was the only Metro East legislator of either party to vote “no” on the bill. “I don’t think caps will solve the problem,” Younge said after the House vote. House members from the region voting in favor of the bill were state Reps. Beiser; Bost; Kurt Granberg, D-Carlyle; Gary Hannig, D-Litchfield; Jay Hoffman, D-Collinsville; Tom Holbrook, D-Belleville; Dan Reitz, D-Steeleville; Ron Stephens, R-Greenville; and Jim Watson, R-Jacksonville; Senate members from the region who voted in favor of the bill were state Sens. James Clayborne, D-Belleville; Deanna Demuzio, D-Carlinville; Bill Haine, D-Alton; John O. Jones, R-Mt. Vernon; Luechtefeld; and Sen. Frank Watson, R-Greenville, the Senate Republican leader. Blagojevich, a Democrat and a lawyer, will sign the bill if it reaches his desk, a spokeswoman confirmed Monday night. “The governor is personally opposed to capping medical malpractice awards, but the need for real and meaningful reform outweighs that,” said spokeswoman Rebecca Rausch. In addition to the caps, the bill would provide for:
* Stricter screening of malpractice suits at filing.
* Allowing doctors to apologize to injured patients and it being used in court.
* Stricter oversight of doctors, including creating of a Web site listing any past convictions.
* Stricter oversight of insurance companies’ premium rates to doctors.

Hot Diggity Dog!

Mel and I got matching tattoos this weekend. They are smiling hot dogs. When I was in Madison over Labor Day weekend Mel and I went to the World's Largest Brat Fest. Since they hold the festival every Memorial Day and Labor Day, Mel went before she came to Chicago and got these tattoos for us. We sported them with pride. Mine was on my ankle.

Memorial Day Weekend

My Memorial Day weekend started a little late, as I had to work until midnight on Friday. After work, I cam home and cleaned the apt in preparation for the arrival of Mel. Mel arrived early on Saturday which gave us more time to have fun. Saturday afternoon we hung around my apartment and played some old school nintendo and caught up with each other. We went out for dinner to a thai restaurant and had some amazing fried rice. Afterwards, we hung out with Jenne and then headed down the street so that Mel could say Hi to the locals and meet Josie. Zimmer and Tisha met us out and we all had a good time, ending up back at my place where we chatted for a few hours, before heading to bed.

Sunday, Mel and I took on the Windy City. We went to Navy Pier then walked to Michigan Ave then walked and saw the bean in Millenium Park. After that we headed down to State St to do a little shopping. After all that walking, Mel took her first ever L ride back to my place where to got the apt ready for the girls to come over. The drink of the night was white cran-strawberry champagne martinis...and were they good? Amazing. Maggie, Megan, AJ, and Jenne all came over then we frolicked about the neighborhood until we landed at Hawkeye's because Ed was working. It was a good time had by all.

I took Mel to Union Station this morning, so she could make her way back to Madison. Now, I must pull myself together and get ready to head into work.

Traveling Meme

Five Things That Are "Nice. Nice. Not thrilling . . . but nice"....I've been stung...next up are Jenne and Mel...

1. Preservatives-While they are great for extending the time between trips to the grocery store and making our food stay fresh longer, sometimes you just have to wonder what they are doing to our bodies. And I think people would eat mush more healthy if there were less preservatives available. But, thank goodness for them...I do like my spaghetti-o's.

2. Candles- They make the air smell good, take away bad odors and are even decorative, but do you ever really go into someones living room and say..."Wow, nice candles"...not as exciting a piece of light up art work..but great for ambience.

3. Crosswalks- They let you get across the street without getting pulverized by a car...well, maybe life would be more thrilling if we spent our time dodging cars...hmm...

4. Magnets-They hold stuff to your refridgerator...not all that exciting, but they get the job done.

5. Good news of a friend of a friend of a friend-While it's nice to hear that something great happened to someone, if you don't have a real relationship with this person it's hard to really care that much. So, while you are excited that your Great Uncle's cousin's dog can jump through fire rings, I am happy for them too, just not thrilled... I don't know them.

Coyote Ugly

Tonight, I went out for a co-worker's birthday...and she wanted to go to Coyote Ugly. I felt like I recognized the doorman when we walked in, but didn't know how I would know him. So, he checked my ID and said "Iowa? Where from?" I responded Burlington and it turned out that he had graduated a year behind me in high school and knew more about me than I knew about him.

Well, the movie Coyote Ugly may be only rated PG-13, but the bar is rated R. There were girls dancing on the bar and doing body shots off eachother and the men that were there too. When were about to leave around midnight(Megan had class at 7am and I had driven), a whole convention bus pulled in full of men. Many of these men were from Europe and mesmerized by the activity in the bar. I don't think they believed what they were seeing. It was funny to watch thier reactions. Anyhow, it midnight and I am headed to bed.

My old middle school burned down today

Back in the day of middle school, there were 3 in my home town. I went to the "ghetto" one, or so people say. I think some one even pulled a butter knife on someone else in the gym locker room...once. Yes, I live in Iowa, you don't get very ghetto anyway you look at it.

Sadly, my ghetto middle school went up in flames this afternoon.
The pics are pretty amazing...just click on the link.


The Hawk Eye Newspaper

It will be a sad day

I have been going to see baseball games a Busch, since before I can remember. I am sad that this is the last season for my beloved Busch. I have seen the coming of real grass as the astro turf left(stained by chewing tobacco spit), when real Clydesdales trotted around on the field, The White Rat, players such as Tito Landrum, The Wizard do arial flips, Vinice Coleman, big Lee Smith, Bob Tewksbury, and of course McGwire. I even remember when the wonderbread truck drove around on the field before the game and went into a gate in left field and Dancing in the Streets was played inbetween innings. We were always at the games for batting practice and if it got over early enough, mom and dad would let us stay long after the game was over and try to catch the players coming out of the locker room to get autographs. On a happy note, the new stadium looks beautiful and I will get to see at least 4 games at Busch this year before it no longer exists.

My one complaint with the pictures of the new stadium is that is says Cardinals Field everywhere. It is BUSCH STADIUM!

Collapse will be quick and dirty at Busch
By Jake Wagman Of the Post-Dispatch
Sunday, May. 22 2005

Busch Stadium's baseball magic lasted for 40 seasons, but its last trick will be to vanish in less than a minute. City officials have been given an early glimpse of what it will take to bring down the landmark stadium at season's end, and this much is sure: It will be quick and dirty. The house built by Gibby, McGwire and the Wizard will be laced with more than 2,000 sticks of explosives and hundreds of blasting caps. When they are triggered, experts estimate it will take 35 seconds for Busch to collapse in an enormous cloud of dust. Demolishing the stadium is a sensitive topic among the Cardinals. The team's top construction official declined to discuss details, saying it was too early in the planning stage. Even the company supervising the demolition said it is contractually restricted from talking to reporters. Representatives for the Cardinals met with St. Louis officials at City Hall this month to discuss the demolition. They gave the city a 15-page document, later obtained by the Post-Dispatch through a request under state public record laws, that outlines the events leading up to demolition day. Demolishing the current stadium is key to finishing the new ballpark, which also will be called Busch Stadium. Important parts of the new park - the outfield, for example - lie within the footprint of the current stadium. The construction manager for the Cardinals, Hunt Construction Group, hired Ahrens Contracting of East St. Louis to handle excavation and demolition. Ahrens, in turn, has hired Steve Pettigrew to be the lead blaster. He's an explosives expert who has supervised the demolition of structures like Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia and Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta. Pettigrew, vice president of Demolition Dynamics, did not return phone calls. Preparation for the implosion will begin with property owners near the stadium getting a letter disclosing details of the demolition and how it could affect their buildings. John Loyd, the team official coordinating construction of the new stadium, said the demolition procedure will be made public prior to blasting. Fans who want to watch can do so, but from a distance. A four-block radius around the stadium will be closed to the general public, as will sections of Highway 40 (Interstate 64). Even with a limited view, the demolition will be a sight to see, Loyd says. "It's one of the loudest and most dramatic things I have ever seen," said Loyd, who has watched demolitions make way for stadiums in Cleveland and Pittsburgh. The date for the demolition can't be set until officials know if the Cardinals make it to postseason play. Once the season is over, the demolition will be on a Saturday or Sunday in late October or early November. Security for the tons of explosives will be a priority. They will be delivered, with police escort, six days before the blast. No passengers will be allowed in the spark-proof vehicles, which will be barred from making any unnecessary stops. Police and demolition officials will guard the explosives around the clock, and the detonators will be stored separately. The document outlining the demolition says the stadium is well-suited for implosion, with its concrete frame and support from a crown of 96 arches. The demolition crew will use about 2,500 pieces of explosives, with the charges placed inside holes they will bore into the stadium's support columns. Chain link fencing and something called "geo-textile" fabric will be used as a curtain to prevent flying debris. The charges will be placed so the stadium crumbles inward. Underground pipes and utilities will be insulated prior to the implosion. Elevators and mechanical apparatus will be removed from the stadium. So will hazardous materials. A small "test shot" will be done before the real thing; each circuit line in the explosive system will have at least three backups to guarantee initiation. The immediate area around the stadium will be evacuated and patrolled by police. The 35-second "impact event" will begin on the stadium's south side, and explosives will fire clockwise and counterclockwise around Busch. The document calls it "a chain reaction of shock." Weather will help determine how long the cloud of dust hangs around the stadium; it could linger for as long as 10 minutes. Street sweepers, hoses and workers armed with shovels and brooms will be dispatched to clean the area after the blast. Streets are expected to be open to traffic within hours after the implosion. The implosion will be directed from a command post where key personnel will be stationed. A pair of 10-second sirens will signal the two-minute warning, followed by a 10-second siren for the one-minute warning and a trio of sirens for the 15-second warning. The final countdown will begin after one last check of the stadium's perimeter. Ten seconds later, someone will yell, "Fire," and Busch Stadium will be history.

Interleague play, go away

This post will be short and sweet.

Interleague play should be saved for spring training and the world series.
The only interleague games that are exciting(to me) are the Subway Series(NYM vs NYY) and the Sox/Cubs games.

Back in the game...

After a short hiatus from Hawkeye's Jenne and I are now back in action. Last night after I got off work, we waddled on down to the corner watering hole and saddled up to the bar. In our periphery, we noticed a man in a brightly colored striped shirt dancing by himself. We watched him for a little bit and giggled, because he looked like he was having a good time. A short while later when Jenne and I are in deep conversation, oblivious to the world, we feel heavy weights on our shoulders. The dancing man felt the need to come over and talk to us. We had trouble understanding him, related to his thick accent and therefore it made for bad conversation. Also, he had my hair pinned down under his sandbag of an arm and I could not even move my head.

We spotted my neighbor Owen on the other side of the bar and waved. Owen is usually a bit shy and Jenne and I are too much for him to handle, but he must have been feeling adventuresome last night, because he pulled a bar stool right up next to us.

Into the bar not too long before last rolled Scott. Jenne and I had met Scott previously at Hawkeyes and had since seen him at Potbelly getting lunch. Scott is a very friendly fellow and will gladly talk to you as if you have been friends for years. Last night he was a little intox when he got to the bar and before long, he was dancing on a pole, jumping up and sliding down it, I think someone even jokingly gave him a dollar or two.

After a very entertaining night out, we ran to the White Hen Pantry to visit our friend Josie, who was working then walked home with Owen(Owen tried to convince us to go to another bar, but Jenne and I declined).

Separated at birth???

Top Row L to R: Jessica Biel and Amanda Peet
Bottom: Jo from the Facts of Life

I have had polls in my AIM profile concerning this subject before and it was recently brought up again. It origianlly began when I worked at Subway during high school and the same lady would come in every Sunday and would always feel the need to inform me that I looked like Jo from the Facts of Life. Then, I was out one night in Iowa City and was told by 2 different people that I looked like Mary from 7th Heaven(a tv show that I had never seen). Since then, I have been told that I look like Amanda Peet a few times. Just the other day at work, a patient announced that I looked like that girl from 7th Heaven again. So here are pictures of all three of the people that I apparently look like. I personally do not feel like I resemble any of them(not that I wouldn't like to) and the only thing I see in common between the 4 of us is that we all have full lips...in which case, I could be compared to Angelina Jolie.

What are people overhearing you say?

I have to thank Mel for introducing me to the website Overheard in NY. It is almost a daily read for me. Some of is not politically correct, a lot of it is crude and most of it is funny. People around the city can submit overheard conversations that they found to be interesting/shocking/or just plain funny.

Here are some I find humorous:

Teen girl: What time does TRL tape?
Street vendor: What time do you watch it?
Teen girl: 4 o'clock.
Street vendor: What does the L stand for?
--Times Square


Lady: This is a yuppie McDonald's. It's all middle class people here.
--McDonald's, 47th Street


Guy: Bitch, you better give me back my donuts or I'll pull out your weave.
--Washington Heights

To date or not to date..

I had contemplated blogging on the subject of dating and guys earlier today, decided not to, until I read Sanjida's post when I got home tonight.

Over the years, I have heard many girl's requirement to date a guy, let alone be serious with someone. With some of the expectations out there, it is amazing that the population is still growing. I have also had different qualifications over the years. I don't think my expectations have ever been ridiculously high. My friends may tell you that what I state as my expectations are not exactly what I am always attracted to, either.

Here's my current list:
--there must be some element of mystery to the person(I like a challenge and the guy can't be too easy to figure out)
-- perfer guys that are my height or taller than me.**
--Must be funny/witty(prefer witty)
--must be in school/have some form of education
--like sports
--have goals/future(aka not be a bum)
--not be a drug addict/felon

**This one actually eliminates many more men than you would expect. The average hight of a male in the US is 5'10" and I am 5'11". That eliminates about 1/2 of the male population right there. Granted, I do make exceptions, but as a rule I like'em tall.

So, Mr. Dateable, where are you?

Flashback...look at that tan...damn...

To spice things up a little I am going to try to randomly put up old pictures or put up a story of something funny that has happened in the past...just little flashbacks of good times in my life. I am starting this one off with a pic and a story about Buggie and I.
For the past 5 summers, I have worked at Camp L-Kee-Ta, an environmental camp owned by the Shining Trail Council of Girl Scouts. At camp, it is tradition to go by camp names and not our real names. In the picture is one of my best friends that I made while working there over the years...her camp name is Bedbug and I was Spike.
During my 3rd summer at camp, Bug was equestrian director and I was assistant eques., which means we taught girls how to horseback ride. There were many a good memories back at the corral, but the one I am going to share with you happened last summer when I was Assistant Director of the camp and Bug was Equestrian Director. One night when we had a couple of day camps in a row, we were looking pretty scuzzy after a long days work out in the sun and Bug and I decided to head on over to the Agusta Tap...a townie bar down the gravel road from the camp. All dressed up in mesh shorts, we saddled up to the bar and ordered a drink. I got a beer, which was served to me in a can while Bedbug got a SoCo and Dr Pepper. Half way through her drink she spotted a fly in the bottom of the glass, so she got another drink or free, which also had a fly. So, the bartender checked the bottle and there was a whole family of dead flies in the bottom of the bottle...so they opened up a new bottle just for her.
There was also a townie couple(missing teeth and all) sitting next to us at the bar and Bug and I being the social girls that we are, chatted with them. It turns out that their names were Mike and Cheryl and they shared their life stories with us. Mike and Cheryl were getting married that weekend on the Skunk River that ran by there. Oh yes, there were going to get married on intertubes that were being pulled by a boat, with a cooler of beer in between them...and they invited us to come to the wedding. On the way back to camp that night, rehashing all the random things that happened to us that night, Bug and I came up with a brilliant plan. Here it is: The next time we went to the bar, we were simply going to ride horses instead of drive. That way one of us wouldn't have to stay sober to drive and we could both have a lot of fun. The brilliant part of the plan is, a horse is almost the only thing that you can be on when you are drunk and not get arrested for operating while intoxicated. The catch is that a horse has a brain of it's own so you are technically never in total control of it. We still giggle about our great plan and are always looking for an opportunity to put it into action...the only problem is...how would I get on the horse after I had been drinking?

Graduation day

I started my day off at 6:30am on Saturday so I could make it to Iowa City in time for my brother's law school graduation from the University of Iowa. I had to stop at the mall on the way into town, and buy something to wear to graduation, because I accidently left my dress clothes in Chicago. There, I did my speediest shopping ever and bought an entire outfit in 10 minutes and managed to make it to Josh's girlfriend's apartment in time to see my parents and brother before graduation and go to the ceremony with them. The graduation lasted a little less than 2 hours, lots of pictures were taken afterwards. Then we headed over to Jill's apartment and had drinks and snacks with her family. We all headed to Taste, a bistro on Melrose for dinner for more food, drinks and conversation.

Visiting the grandparents...

The trip...
It took me 45 minutes to go the first 10 miles out of Chicago.
About an hour and half outside of Chicago, I realized that I had forgotten my hang up clothes to wear to Josh's graduation on Sat.
I made the 8 hour drive in 7 hours 15 min. My uncle informed me that my car had better have wings and a jet engine in it when I pulled in the driveway to make it that amount of time. I just giggled.
My grandpa is great, but unfortunately losing his mind. Instead of getting sad about this, we enjoy the funny things that happen by mistake.
Thursday night my grandpa and I went out to dinner and he just told the waitress that he wanted whatever I was having...even a diet pepsi...he doesn't drink pop...ever. He drank it.
I noticed that he had a cut on his hand and I asked him what happened and he informed me he reopened a scab in the machine shed the other day when he was looking for shotgun shells and it "bled like a stuck hog." Whatever that means...
He re-enacted the racoon in the yard story, which included a 35 pound raccoon that was 25 feet up in a tree when my uncle shot it down and it jumped up 3 feet TWICE after it fell the 2 feet. And it's claws were the size of his pinky finger. Then he informed me that racoon could have taken his leg off in one swipe. It could have also taken a 600 pound steer.
My grandpa doesn't say "You're kidding me." He says "You're shitting me." Which I just find to be hilarious.
We drove past someone's farm and he informed me that the guy that lives there is a jerk and I asked him why. He informed me that "he was born a jerk, don't you know." Guess I didn't.
When I told him I would have to leave early Sat am for Josh's grad, because it would take me 4.5 hours to get there and I would have to get up at 7am, he responded "You don't get up at 7am. I hope you don't have to be there for that fucking thing for him to graduate, because you aren't going to make it. They won't hold up that thing until you get there, will they? You can tell him congratulations at about 7:30pm when you get there. You won't leave here until at least 1pm. You'll stay here and have dinner with me." Ohh, how cute and funny is he?
On Friday, my grandpa slept all morning as he always does and my uncle was in town, so I went for a nice long walk around the farm. After dinner, grandpa and I went up to Storm Lake to see my grandma in the hospital where we took her for a wheelchair ride through every hallway in the hospital. When we returned to the farm, Uncle Greg was doing work and 4-wheeling around the yard. I was helping my uncle doing some random work when I made a sarcastic remark to him and he used one of my favorite sayings that he says. Instead of saying "Kiss my ass," he says "Bite my butt". It just kills me everytime. It was a long drive for a short visit, but definitely worth it.

Brother is a lawyer now!!!

Mom, Josh, Dad, and me at my brother's law school graduation.
Don't worry, I am wearing heels...I am not that freakishly tall that I am the tallest in the fam.

Becky's Birthday

I know this is now old news, but it was Becky's birthday at the end of April. She took a shot like champ. Way to go Becky!

Birthday/Cinco de Mayo dinner party

I have gotten a few requests to put up the pics from the birthday/cinco de mayo birthday party last week. I tried to put the pics up on yahoo earlier today, but it wouldn't let me. There are only 4 of them, so I will just add them to the 24th birthday album next week. Here's one just to be a tease.

On the road...again

It seems as if I am out of Chicago, more than I am in Chicago...

Well, I am leaving again tomorrow a.m. and will be gone until Sunday.
Tomorrow is the 8 hour drive to the grandparents farm where I will stay(and have no cell phone reception) until Sat am when I will drive 5 hours to Iowa City to watch the brother graduate from law school. After that I am going to meet Josh's gf's family for the first time(I am the only one who hasn't met them). Some time after dinner with the Wiebers I am supposed to meet up with some friends from home to finalize plans for a wedding we are all in this summer. Sunday morning it is back to Chicago to make it to the Sox game on Sunday.

You know, incase you cared...and I'm excited to be around more nature than weeds growing in the cracks of Chicago's cement sidewalks.

It's almost been one year

I can't believe that as I check everyone's AIM away messages they are all saying studying/taking my last final. That was me just one year ago. I can't belive that it has been one year since I left Iowa City and moved out of Burge. Started looking for a real job to replace the cake job I had all through college(even though some nights were mighty rough). Started my last summer at the best job ever. Yes, it will be the first summer in 6 years that I will not be returning to camp this year. I will miss my fabulous boss, my great friends, playing outside all day, swimming all afternoon, horseback riding, hiking, kayaking, and campfires at night...and just to think, I got paid for it.

On graduation day, a group of nursing friends decided that no matter what, one year from when we graduate, we will all take a week off and go to Vegas together, that we would stay in touch. We started the monthly e-mail to keep eachother updated. That started to dwindle around Jan and I haven't participated since November. No one has brought up Vegas since Oct. And we don't' even call eachother anymore. Brit is somewhere in Phoenix, there is a trio of girls in the twin cities, Jenn is in Des Moines, one girl is in grad school and another had a baby. Needless to say...no dice on the Vegas trip.

How did we lose touch so fast? Our lives were at a turbulent point with lots of changes. I guess it was just easier to get close to new people in new cities rather than lean on our old friends. We all have different lives now...some for the better, some for the worse. Only one of us hates nursing(thank goodness it's not me). Can you imagine going to school, for 5 years in her case, and hate the job you have. And she has had 2 different jobs since we graduated. While I may not love the city of Chicago and do not see myself living her all my life, I do love my job.

Enough with the rambling already, Stace.

Cards hit 3-game skid

Only 3 days ago, the Cards were off to an impressive start for the season at 18-8. However, the Padres have come into town and helped the Cards to lose 3 in a row. The bullpen hasn't been looking too sharp over the past few days and Ray King(one of my faves) and a Chicago native) even got ejected from the game the other night. Now, at 18-11, I am hoping the Cards can pull off a win tomorrow and stop the Padres from a 4 game sweep, espically while the Cards are playing in Busch. It's Marquis (4-1, 2.85era) vs Redding(0-4, 6.0era)...looks promising...but I also didn't expect to lose with Matty Mo on the mound two nights ago, either. I was a little jealous that my fam and my brothers gf were at yesterday's game and I was stuck in Chi.

Go Red Birds.

UPDATE: The score was 15-5, the Cards beat the Padres to save themselves from getting swept and ending thier 3 game losing streak on 5.8.05.

The wait is now over

You are probably getting sick of all my birthday related posts, but this one warrents a post.
Sandy's computer crashed as soon as she got back to Cbus and couldn't post her pics...but they are up now!!! Some are the same as mine, but she kept clicking away long after I stopped. Check out little miss shutterbug's pics.

The album is labeled Aaron's 24th.

Happy Birthday to US!

This was taken on Fri night when Aaron and I met up in Iowa City to celebrate our birthday early. Look at all those Sexy Alligator shots. Woot Woot.

It's my birthday...and Aaron's birthday, too!

Salsa Fiesta

Tonight, after work I used my families secret recipe and made the seasons first batch of homemade salsa. It is the first time I have made it away from home and miss my mom's handy dandy chopper machine. It is a lot more work when I have to chop all the ingredients by hand...and it turned out a little chunkier than usual. That just makes it easier to scoop...right? It was also the first time I made it without my mom's home grown jalepenos. Hopefully the store bought one that was burning my eyes to cut will do the recipe justice.

The reason I made it is for Wednesday's night birthday/cinco de mayo dinner party I am hostessing. You have to make it early to let all the flavors blend together. It always takes a few tastes to get it juuuuuuuust right. Can't wait to try it tomorrow.

salsa.salsa.salsa.

The newest performance enhancer

With all the recent hubbub about steroids in professional and college sports another performance enhancer has recently come out on the market. After five years in the making, Nike and Bausch and Lomb have come out with performance enhancing contacts. For the "speed sports" they are amber colored and restrict the amount of blue that one can see so that baseball players can see the stitches on the ball better. They also invented a gray-green lens that helps golfers differentiate between the shades of green on the course.

Several players have been fitted and some are even wearing them in the games. The ones who are wearing the new lenses have seen an improvement in performance (placebo or the real thing?). I would just like to say that all the Cardinals players that have been offered to try out this new product have been skeptical and have turned down the offer. Go Cards for being about natural talent...and they are in 1st place in the central division.

The whole article is very interesting...take 5 minutes and read it.