Everybody now: "Sweet home.............."

Well somehow, despite both inner turmoil and outside nature, I made it to Chicago this weekend to celebrate my dad's birthday with my family. I missed my flight Friday, stuck in traffic in the rain, but it was a blessing because I got to see the Wallace and Gromit movie. So good. Did anybody else think it was actually magical to see the animator's thumbprints on Gromit's forehead? When did it become a virtue for artists to be invisible from art? I love seeing the process in the product. Okay, I'll shut up and get back to football. I wasn't looking forward to sitting out in Chicago October weather to see the Northwestern - Wisconsin game, but it turned out to be the exciting, all in good fun kind of game that only happens every once in a while. The final score was 51-48 - more like a basketball game than football. Back and forth - who ever said that soccer was more fun because there was more anticipation for scoring. Football's just too cold to be sitting all game, and it takes touchdowns to make alumni jump up and down. I'm sitting in the student section next time, even if I am an old fart now. So much unexpected fun.
The rest of the weekend was a meat eating frenzy that actually turned out all right for vegetarian me. We went to one of those Brazilian steakhouses on Saturday where they just bring around meat until you say uncle. But the salad bar was out of this world (no chocolate pudding though) and they had fried plaintains on the table. How can I stay mad at people that serve plaintains and whole artichoke hearts? The next day we went to the "White Fence Farm", owned by one of Dennis Hastert's relatives, to see my grandma. It's a big family-style chicken place. Once again, I was eating side-dishes, but once again I was a happy boy. And Jess - TWO kinds of birthday cake! This place is 30 miles out into rural Illinois, near where my grandma lives. It used to sit out in the middle of amber waves of grain. Now it's surrounded by truck depots and McMansions. I don't know whether to cheer for rising gas prices or not. Can I really fault people for wanting to live the good life out there? Just have to keep working on shaping up the city.
Got back to museum this morning and had ideas tumbling out of my head. Lots of program stuff. I need a team of oompa-loompas to do my bidding desperately. Anyone know some?