Getting Started

I started my new job yesterday and I already have my first day off! No, really, Wednesday is going to be my normal day off from now on so really it's not that weird. As for the job itself, I haven't yet figured out what a banker does. I mean, sure, when I have a customer, I do whatever they need me to do, right? Like open an account, print out a statement, etc. But when I don't have any customers...well, I'm still not sure. Supposedly I'll eventually be given stuff to do but until then I've just been sitting there and "looking" busy. I guess that's all I can do for now.

In other news, my phone service has now been fully switched to Vonage. For those unaware, Vonage is a VoIP provider (or Voice over Internet Protocol). After a rocky first few weeks where I'd randomly lose dial tone due to some problems with my phone adapter (the little black box between the cable modem and my computer), I think all of the bugs have been worked out. I'm really impressed by the service and it's cost-effectiveness. My sister and I don't use our home phone much - both of us have cell phones so that makes up the bulk of our calling. Unfortunately, my cell phone doesn't work anywhere inside my apartment so having a home phone is essential. Currently, we're on the $14.99 plan that Vonage offers which includes 500 outgoing minutes, which includes local and long distance calling. For $10 more we can get unlimited local and 500 long distance, or for $5 more than that we could get complete unlimited calling. However, since the bulk of our calls from home are to Iowa, it seems that the 500 minutes is plenty. And it's a lot better than paying $40 or more a month to AT&T for local and long distance service. If anyone is interested in trying out Vonage, let me know and I'll "refer" you to them. I get a credit for this, of course, but you're my friend, right? You don't mind.

Chicago Has Done It Again

On Thursday I was fortunate enough to make it downtown to visit Chicago's newest attraction: Millennium Park. The park cost millions to build but to me it seems well worth it. It's not a park in the recreational sense (although one of my pictures may dispute this fact). Instead, it's more of a cultural experience. Located on Michigan Avenue just north of the Art Institute of Chicago, Millennium Park is truly a sight to behold.

The first of my pictures is one of two of the newly built Pritzker Pavilion. It was originally designed to replace the venerable Petrillo Music Shell in Grant Park but this venue is decidedly upscale and is currently home to the Grant Park Orchestra. The pavilion was designed by world-famous architect Frank Gehry and is absolutely stunning. The pavilion itself stands 120 feet high, with "ribbons" clad in stainless steel that extend from out of the top of the stage area which connect to an overhead array of crisscrossing steel pipes that define the lawn seating area. These pipes also serve as anchors for the speakers that are suspended throughout the pavilion to provide the sound quality necessary for such an outdoor venue. This can be seen in my second picture of the Pritzker Pavilion. It's certainly a breathtaking sight and I hope to take in a performance there at some point if only to say that I did.

My next picture is of "Cloud Gate," a sculpture by world-famous British artist Anish Kapoor. While the sculpture has become affectionately known to Chicagoans as "The Bean," the stainless steel behemoth (weighing in at 110 tons) is actually inspired by an ingot of liquid mercury. It's highly polished and beautifully reflects both the park and the cityscape of Michigan Avenue behind it. Even better, visitors are encouraged to walk under (and eventually through) the sculpture, which is polished inside and out, and become part of its magic.

Next is a shot of the Lurie Garden which is a sort of nature preserve smack in the middle of the city. Since everything has just been planted it's going to take a while to reach its full potential but its beauty is already evident.

Finally, and probably my favorite part of Millennium Park, is the giant Crown Fountain designed by Spanish sculptor Jaume Plensa. It's framed by two 50 foot high glass block towers. Water continuously cascades down all four sides of each tower. On the sides of the towers facing each other, a video screen depicts faces of regular Chicagoans. In fact, 1000 random Chicagoans were chosen to be filmed for this artistic wonder. The faces move, smile, etc., and change randomly. However, before each face disappears, its lips pucker and water shoots out of its mouth (caught in my picture). It is obvious that this is the most "fun" part of Millennium Park, especially on a hot day as this one was. For those interested or familiar with famous Chicago skyscrapers, that's One Prudential Plaza in the background with Two Prudential Plaza looming just to its right.

I had a great time visiting Millennium Park and encourage any visitors to Chicago to check it out. It's a great new world-class attraction to add to our list (including the Art Institute, Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, Museum of Science and Industry, the "Magnificent Mile," the Sears Tower, and many others).

In other news.... My car will not be with me this week. They got the wrong part again so it's probably going to be another week. Doh!

So Much Has Happened...

You'd think I would've learned my lesson when it comes to long intervals between posts...but I guess I'm doomed to repeat my past mistakes.

First item of business: I was rear-ended again. I was driving my rental car (a crappy 2004 Chevy Cavalier...ewww!) minding my own business trying to get home on my lunch break. I'm heading eastbound on 173rd Street, approaching the intersection with S Park Ave. I stop at the stop sign and signal my intention to turn right. There's a break in traffic so I could've turned but I wait - I'm not taking any chances in a rental that I didn't take out the "optional" insurance on. Then...wham. I feel a jolt. I know that jolt - someone just rear-ended me. Again. I look in my rear view. It's a police car. What the hell? A police car just hit me? Am I dreaming? No, I'm not. I was actually rear-ended by a Thornton cop who was just driving around. I get out, he gets out. "I thought you were going to turn." My first thought: how many times as he heard that one? That's no excuse and he knows it. Of course, we're in South Holland so he radios Thornton dispatch to send a SHPD officer to the scene. He arrives, chuckles, and proceeds to fill out the report. By now half of the Thornton police department has shown up (which believe me isn't that many people) to see what happened. They laugh, they joke, they can't believe it. Neither can I. While this is all happening I call work and tell them I might be a little late getting back from my lunch break. They ask why, I tell them. There's silence. They know why my car is in the shop. They say OK and I'm back to watching the cops come and go. After it's all done I get the standard police report. I go home and try to calm down - this is a lot to handle. Finally I get up the courage to drive again and head back to work. I have my police report, everyone wants to see it. I make copies because I know no one will believe me. I call Enterprise - their office closed at noon. Damn. So I get connected to their 800 number. I listen to the options. There's no "got hit by a cop" option so I pick roadside assistance. Not exactly what I'm looking for but maybe they know what to do. They did. They took my accident report and didn't seem to think it was a big deal. Ok, so now that's done. Later that week (the accident happened on July 10) I actually go to Enterprise. They take a more detailed report. "We haven't heard that one in a while," they joke. I'm not laughing. Apparently it's not a big deal to them either. I guess there's no doubt that the Village of Thornton will pay. So at least that's good news. So now I've got a dented rental and still no Jetta. I guess the body shop ordered a part and they sent the wrong one. If it's there by next Monday that's three weeks. But, it's ok. As long as I don't have to pay anything they can keep it as long as the need to to get it right.

Next item on the agenda: I've taken yet another plunge into the information age. Today I signed up for Vonage telephone service, a VoIP provider (for those who are not as internet-savvy as some of us, that means Voice over Internet Protocol). For a $30 setup fee and $10 shipping, they're going to send me a little box that plugs in to my broadband connection, which in this case is a cable modem furnished by Comcast. I plug my phone into the contraption and presto - my phone calls are now relayed over the internet rather than SBC's aging landlines. And they're even going to transfer our phone number. When it's all said and done, we'll get 500 "anytime" minutes a month, both local and long distance. There's a whole list of features that are free, including voice male, caller ID, call forwarding, call transferring, 3-way calling, etc. SBC and AT&T can't even come close to that kind of value. Plus, I figure the money I save on having phone service over my broadband connection will lessen the impact of paying more to have a broadband connection. Does that make sense? I think so.

Final item: I got a promotion!!! Yes, after only four months on the job, I have been promoted to the position of relationship banker at Great Lakes' Matteson branch. This is a nice step up for me as I'll finally have my own desk, phone, computer, and business cards!!! All you friends out there, be prepared to get a little mailer from me. Everyone is going to see these things! And, for those who might be confused, no the bank is not in the mall. It's a rather large free-standing branch across the street which also serves as the corporate headquarters. Be happy for me. I am.