"We'll never forget the way they thrilled the nation, with their Rex predation."

Just so you know where I stand:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqFf-0eROUA

Poll #919642 I
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 18

Which would you be more embarassed to be caught watching during halftime at the Superbowl?

I'm sure you were all terribly worried about my absence from the LiveJournal world for the past 5-6 days. As it happens, I was in Chicago, visiting fambly. The Chicago report:

- Yes, it was quite chilly, though not as chilly as a few previous visits have been. However, it had snowed shortly before we arrived, and so everything was coated in a white blanket. Snow is quite pretty until you get up close, when you realize it's basically just dirty water that has decided to hang around. I am aware that I am most assuredly NOT the first person to make this observation.

- Chicago put on a snow storm especially for the NFC championship game (seriously, the snow started about the time the game did, and stopped about half an hour after the game ended), and huzzah, Da Bears won. I worry about what will happen in Miami, but Chicago loves its Bears so much that they really deserve one, so let's hope that happens. Also, it will keep people alive in the household of my brother-in-law, who doesn't seem to get much enjoyment out of sports, just a lot of stress. I'm also personally pleased since I don't really care all THAT much about football unless the Chargers are doing well, but the Bears are my Emergency Backup Football Team, so it will be cool to have a team to really root for for the first time in many, many, many Superbowls.

- I had a good time hanging out on Friday night with misskaz, ajax, mchristensen, and various other non-LJ folks. It was nice to meet those whom I hadn't met before, as well as to meet the famous Alina "Beans" Dog (who is just as sweet and cute as advertised.)

- It ain't easy traveling with a 2.75-year-old child, but luckily, he's such a good-natured little guy that it wasn't too tough. He got a little bit annoying during the last hour of the flight to Chicago, but we got through it. On the flight back he was fighting a cold so he was already a bit sluggish, plus we drugged him to sleep (which he did for about half the flight), and then he just wanted to snuggle for the last hour and a half. But having the DirecTV with with two channels of cartoons also helped, even though he (as always) got bored with TV after about half an hour or so.

- I continue to love JetBlue. Granted, because they were putting on promotional fares for their new route from Long Beach to Chicago, we were able to purchase three roundtrip fares for 240 bucks. Not 240 bucks each, 240 bucks TOTAL. For all three of us. We'll never get that fare again, but it was awesome while we could. But I *still* love JetBlue. I love the DirecTV, I love that there is more legroom, and I adore Long Beach airport even though it takes 10 million years to get your checked baggage. (There's a reason for that, though, which I will be happy to explain to anyone who asks.)

- Navy Pier is really a nice place to go, and if you have kids, Chicago's Children's Museum is quite worthwhile. If I lived in Chicago and I had kids to take care of every day, I'd absolutely get a membership and take them several times a week. The Riva restaurant located at Navy Pier, while a bit pricey, is also a nice place. If you live in Chicago and want to have a nice night out, make a reservation for mid-winter, because you can get a table right by the window with a lovely view. The food was excellent. Not cheap, but worth the price.

- Sledding, even down a little bitty hill, is fun.

Well, at least ONE amusing thing happened in football this weekend:
http://thealmightyajax.livejournal.com/187694.html

Oops! There's an FCC fine waiting to happen. Assuming, of course, that people were offended enough to stop, rewind, pause, and make sure that yes, indeed, they were offended.