Jason, Amanda and I went downtown bright and early on Thanksgiving Day for the parade. Amanda snagged a spot on a lamp post for a good view of the bands, dancers, and floats. This is my 4th year at the parade. I love it!!

I don't have photos of the rest of the weekend, but Jason and I flew to Minneapolis to visit my sister. She made a wonderful Thanksgiving meal complete with turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie and the best mashed potatoes. The following night we ate at a cute duplex converted into a restaurant in St Paul. On Saturday we visited the Titanic exhibit at the Science Museum in St Paul. Very cool exhibit, if you ever have the chance to visit it.

Last night I put up my tree and started listening to Christmas music. It's officially the Christmas season.

I've been feeling a little overworked the last few weeks, so when I finally had a full day off work yesterday I had to make up for lost time.
My college friend Rachel and her fiance Jon were in town so we started the day at The Modern Wing of The Art Institute. Then after some Garretts popcorn and wine, Jason and I headed to

The Aragon to see The Pixies. I'd never been there before and it was quite the venue. I wish I'd brought my camera!
Looking forward to a short work week and then a trip to Minnesota for Thanksgiving this week!

Pontiac Silverdome Sold for $583,000

The Pontiac Silverdome sold today in live auction for only $583,000, less than the price for a 3 bedroom town home here in Chicago! The stadium was built 35 years ago for $55 million. It was the home of the 1998 Bad Boys, Hogan vs Andre the Giant Part I and maybe even some Lions victories. Most of us remember it for the frequent visits we had there the day after Thanksgiving in our glory days.

Waylter Payton Liver Guild Gala

Jason and I attended the Annual Walter Payton Liver Gala this weekend at Solider Field. The event was over the top this year. Paytons's wife and children attended as always, additionally some former Bears players, Norm from Cheers and the author of Payton's autobiography were present. This year was the 10th anniversary of his death and the speeches and videos were more heartfelt than years in the past. Signed sports items such were auctioned off and even a black lab puppy. It's amazing how much money people are willing to donate to a good cause.

Walter Payton made a service announcement 3 days after he found out that he was removed from the liver transplant list due to progression of his cancer. It urged people to become organ donors. When it was made, Illinois was the 47th state in the country as far citizens signing their organ donor cards. It remains the top state for the ten years since his commercial was taped. Currently 60% of Illnois adults are registered donors compared to the national average of 38%.
Payton knew that an organ donation would not help him anymore, but he continued to fight to make a difference.

Photo Tour of Boston

The finish line of the Boston Marathon.

The Old North Church were the lantern was hung to warn that the British were coming during Paul Revere's famous ride. Families actually rented pews at the church and brought hot bricks from home to keep them warm during services.

Has anyone ever noticed that many of the famous churches in American history are Episcopalian? Just sayin...

The Harvard Yard

My good friend Charles and his wife recently moved to Boston. I joined them for a wonderful lobster dinner at a seafood joint that proclaims they are "the oldest restaurant in the U.S.A." I don't think the lobster was that old though.

Halloween in Boston

I was in Boston last week for the Annual American Liver Meeting. While there I decided to jog the freedom trail and visit some creepy old cemeteries. This one had the grave sights of Paul Revere, a member from the Mayflower and my personal favorite grave stone which read "Here lies the servant of John Hancock." I suppose there are worse things to have on a gravestone.

"Now here's a little story I've got to tell....." You know you were thinking it.