Mutli-rave post

It's bee a while, and there are so many things I've experienced and I'm loving taking advantage of on a regular basis.

So, instead of focusing on just one rave, I'm going to talk about a few things that I'm loving at the moment.

"These are a few of my favorite things"

And now that that song is stuck in your head, let's plunge ahead. These are in no particular order other than how much atop my mind they are at the moment.

Yoga Toes - I've had these for a couple months now and though they're some of the strangest looking things, they're amazing.

At first, I could only wear them for about 10 minutes before my feet were begging me to take them off. But over time, I've come to crave them, especially after a run or a long day at work. They claim to be the cure for bunions but I just love how they make my feet feel. These came recommended to me by my cousin who wears them religiously, she even walks around the house in them, but I still find this a bit painful...they're definitely not made for walking, but lounging while reading or watching TV or even to wear to bed, they're fabulous!

Total Freedom - if you're looking for a good book that will give you a completely different outlook on life and self-improvement without being all self-helpy, this book is it. I'm not going to lie, it's not a quick read. But it's worth every minute spent with your nose stuck in it. It's one of those books that, once you get into it, you find yourself having a hard time pulling yourself away. A book like this is too good not to share with others. A must read.

Nutella - my new peanut butter substitute when I'm just not feeling the crunchy, peanutty spread. If you haven't tried it before, I highly recommend it. I'm a big fan of Nutella on my morning banana or on an apple in the afternoon. Punches up your favorite treats a bit. YUM!

Delta Airlines Wi-Fi - what would I do without in-flight wi-fi? Well, probably sleep or read or listen to music and just unwind. But, on those days where I need to get a client report out the door or I'm waiting for a response to keep a project moving, or even when I just want to write a blog post, it's critical. Sure, there's a bit of a charge, which you can buy by flight, 24-hour period or have a monthly fee for unlimited access for all you frequent fliers out there, but it's totally worth it!

MacBook Air - Apple got it right with this one, beyond right! I was issued an Air for my new position (oh yeah, did I mention I got a new job and I'm loving EVERY SECOND OF IT?) and I gotta tell you, it's amazing. As someone who has found herself traveling more than normal, I don't dread slinging my messenger bag over my shoulder for that long trek across the airport anymore, I can hardly tell I've even got a computer in there. And with the abundance of wi-fi connections, well, everywhere these days, there's no lack of internet connectivity. I'm going to love having this powerful little (and I do mean little) beast.

That's all for now.

Cheers!

-A

RAVES: Uncle Bub's Secret Special

So, this is my second rave review on Uncle Bub's in Westmont, but this time it's a bit different.

Yes, we continue to have stellar experiences every time we decide to pig out (pun intended) at this local barbeque establishment. But it wasn't too long ago that we discovered a hidden gem in their already mouthwatering lineup of meats.

Smoked bologna sandwich.

Now, I know what you're probably thinking, or at least, it's what I was thinking when I first heard about this menu item that in fact, doesn't have a permanent place on the menu. "A bologna sandwich? Really? I haven't had one of those since I 10 years old, and I wasn't much impressed then."

Let me explain the deliciousness of this sandwich for a second...

This isn't your grandmas cold cut bologna sandwich, mind you. They smoke the balogna right there in their kitchen, slice it thin, and pile the juicy meat onto a soft bun with their signature barbeque sauce and your choice of cheese.

You can't tell me your mouth isn't watering just thinking about it.

Had we not been tipped off to this special menu item by a relative of the owner we may never have known just how good bologna can be!

I said it before and I'll say it again, one of the best parts of our trips to Uncle Bub's is the service. Everyone is not only knowledgeable about everything on the menu, but you're treated like family from the moment you walk in. Sure makes it easy on those days when you just can't decide what you want for dinner to say, "hey, let's go to Uncle Bub's."

If you're anywhere near the Chicagoland area and haven't tried it out yet, what are you waiting for? Get there. There's no other barbeque experience like it.

Cheers!

-A

RAVE: Popeyes Chicken, Calumet City

My husband loves Popeyes Chicken. Until we started dating, I'd never ventured to one.

I had a friend in high school who worked at the local KFC and told me stories about their food handling processes that made my skin crawl. So I spent most of my life avoiding fast food fried chicken.

But a few months back, I gave the place a shot, and really wasn't all that impressed. The service was beyond slow and the food was just okay. They did have really good cole slaw and mashed potatoes and gravy though, I give them that.

I've eaten there a couple times since then and continued to be less than impressed, especially with the slow service. I thought maybe it was because it was "Louisiana style" or something that they were just slower, but after visiting one of the stores outside of Chicago, I know this isn't true.

On the way to visiting my family for funeral services, we decided to stop and get a bite to eat. When we saw a sign for Popeyes his eyes lit up, so we stopped. We went inside to take a break from driving through traffic and the first thing I noticed was the incredible speed of the people behind the counter.

The man who took our order was yelling back into the kitchen as he took pieces of chicken, so they knew what to replace (normally, we see them yelling what they need AS they need it). Needless to say, I was impressed.

We asked the man if he was the manager there and he said, "why yes I am," and we complimented him on the efficiency of the store. He mentioned that they were short staffed even, but it didn't show. We got our food quicker than ever at a Popeyes. The food was fresh and just as we'd ordered it - another issue we've had in the past, not getting spicy when we order it.

After we ordered we sat down to eat and people watched. The manager was very patient with customers who would come in on their cell phones and talk while ordering, or taking forever to make a decision while holding up the line, and even customers asking tons of questions that are answered right on the menu. He certainly was more patient that I would have been :).

So I gotta say, if you're ever headed out of Chicago on 94 and have a craving for Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits, be sure to take the Calumet City exit and visit the store on Sibley Road. You're bound to be satisfied with food and the service.

Cheers!

Ashley

RANT: Cinemark at Seven Bridges

Normally I'm not one to just throw a complaint up on a blog for the world to see without giving a company the chance to make things right first, but my experience last night was so appalling that it must be shared.

So it's been a rough week, between the 18 inches of snow that was dumped on us in 36 hours, nearly getting sick (I barely got away with that) and dealing with the emotional strains of some family emergencies, I was in desperate need of a mid-week comedy to cheer me up.

Typically my husband and I rent movies in, either on Netflix or Redbox, but occasionally when there's a flick that looks promising we'll head out for a date night at the movie theater.

Since moving to Chicago, we've chosen Cinemark @ Seven Bridges in Woodridge, IL as our local spot. Sure, there are closer theaters but this one has a number of showings, stadium seating, clean bathrooms (yes, this is a plus) and IMAX, if you so choose. And up until last night, the customer service was satisfactory.

We went to see No Strings Attached with Ashton and Natalie. This is funny, if you're interested. Not in the typical romantic comedy kind of way either, like legit funny. We were quoting our favorite lines on the way home. It really helped take my mind off everything.

Anyway, we got in and settled as the previews were showing. As a treat, I decided to sneak out and get us some popcorn, and this is where the fun started.

*please note the implied sarcastic tone there*

Given that it was a slow evening and most people were hunkered down in their homes, ticket sales were taking place at the end of the consession counter. I've encountered this before, no big deal. BUT, when you have two people behind the counter, one just watching you wait for service while the other is selling tickets, that doesn't bode so well for someone who just wants to get her $7 bag of popcorn and get back before the movie starts.

Not only that, when the man was done selling tickets to these folks, they were not expected to get in line behind me at concessions, rather, they were helped immediately. So I waited, impatiently, while he microwaved their hot dogs for them (which, as I see it, he could have spent the time waiting for them to heat up by scooping popcorn for awaiting customers...just a thought on time management there). All the while the other woman behind the counter just stood there picking her nose. Okay, not literally, but she might as well have been, at least then she'd be doing something.

When I mentioned to him that I had been waiting in line, I was virtually ignored. So I ordered my popcorn and rushed back into the movie. Had I not had to wait nearly 10 minutes to get popcorn when there was no one else in line, I wouldn't have missed the beginning. Gee, thanks.

It never ceases to amaze me how many people in the customer service industry drag their feet and take their jobs so lightly. It's these people who hold the potential to give a company a bad name. In the end, isn't all about serving the customer? Unfortunate as it may be, I highly doubt we'll be going back there any time soon. AMC at Yorktown is looking like a better option...Clearly, the customers time and money isn't valued at Cinemark.

Ashley

A not so formal announcement

Here it is:

I got married.

That's right. It wasn't that long ago that you heard about the engagement. We operate fast.

Truth of the matter is, there were a handful of reasons why we went ahead and "ran off" to do this on our own - like wedding planning is insane when you're trying to hold down a full time job and seriously, have you seen the prices of invitations these days? But what's most important here is that we did it for us. The way we wanted to. Without killing our families and each other in the process (not literally, of course).

So we did what we wanted. It was about us. It is about us, and our marriage. The rest of our lives together. That's what a wedding is about, after all, the ensuing marriage (something I get a sense that a lot of people forget as they engross themselves in planning the big day).

But know this, it wasn't about intentionally leaving people out, even though I've been getting a lot of flack about that lately.

We called our families to give them the news and then we posted it on Facebook for the world to see. Sure, maybe there was a better way to go about it, but with everyone engrossed in social media these days in one form or another, it was the most efficient way - with both of us living in states where we didn't grow up and the majority of our friends and family don't reside - to spread the news.

Seriously, if there weren't enough hours in the day to plan a wedding then there certainly wasn't enough time to call everyone and their third cousin to spread the word that we eloped - especially when we're still planning for a formal celebration of some kind this summer. You know, like a post-wedding reception, only a few months later. Who ever said you have to have a formal celebration on the day you get married?

This might sound harsh, but I do have to say that it's a bit disheartening when first reactions from friends aren't "congrats, that's so awesome" they're "why did I have to find out on Facebook?"

Well, truth is, because it's not about you.

Even my grandmother was thrilled for us. And if you'd expect anyone in a family unit to be a stickler about tradition, it'd be grandma, right? Nope. Pure excitement. :)

I consider myself to be a pretty generous person, putting the needs of the people who are closest to me in my life before my own, more often than not. I bend over backwards to please. But this time, we did what was needed for our own happiness - me and my husband. And guess what, it worked. We're married, and we're happy, and we love each other and we didn't spend 9 months and $30 grand planning an elaborate wedding that neither of us wanted in the first place.

But we do want to celebrate with our friends and family, because it matters to us, so we will, at some point. Until then, join me in celebrating our lovely marriage every day, will you?

Cheers!

-A

Gossip web

It appears that recently I've been caught in this web of he said, she said with a number of people in my life.

This scenario seems to happen every couple years, where I, for one reason or another, am seen as the trustworthy friend that everyone comes to in order to talk about their other friends behind their backs (which, rightfully so, I AM that trustworthy friend!). It gets even more confusing when those friends are connected to one another and they're all talking about each other. It's hard for the listener to keep up.

I guess I've never fully understood gossip. I mean, sure, we all need to vent every now and again when something or someone gets under our skin. This is just being human. And I'm a huge believer in what is said between two people is not considered gossip, but rather, it's a closed door meeting of the minds to help resolve frustration for one or both parties involved. There is nothing wrong with this, so long as the conversation doesn't go any farther than that.

But, what I've found, is that it usually does.

Lately, with all the confiding that people have been doing (in me), I have to wonder how much gossiping they're doing with others (about me). You hear the old saying that those who talk about others to you are likely to talk about you behind your back - or however that goes - and I can't help but think through that statement as I'm being asked about my opinions about the people I consider my friends.

Thing is, we put a lot of trust in our friends. So if you've earned a friendship with someone (because as I see it, true friendship takes time to be earned), doing anything that doesn't fully support them - especially in front of others - would be a breech of said trust and would quickly lead to a loss of faith in the relationship, right? Talking bad about someone's character behind there back will do just that.

(Note: this does not include those times where your friends are about to do something so stupid they could ruin their lives and/or the lives of those around them. In situations such as these, the only good-friend move is to set them straight. People need their friends for honest feedback, too.)

So, for anyone who questions it, here's the scoop: if you're truly my friend, you can count on the vault being sealed. Anything I say to someone else about a situation that involves you is something I've already said to you - assuming it's even appropriate to discuss with others in the first place.

This goes for friends and family. There's no purpose in me gossiping about you behind your back, so you can count on me. I hope you can say the same.

Cheers!

-A

Blog Snob

The more involved I get with social media, the more I realize how much of a blog snob I am.

As I see it, when it comes to social media content, it should be easy for the end user to consume. What I mean by that is, it's should be easy to read and understand.

Blogs that get too technical and have too much jargon, even when the topic is rather technical, rarely make it to my Google Reader. If wordy, in depth articles is what I was out to read, I'd do a search for an academic or journal article, not a blog.

With blogs, I expect, concise, easy to read information on whatever topic is being covered. And honestly, I want to hear the opinion of the blogger - that's why I'm there! What they have to say on the subject is just as important as the facts. I'm there for their voice. It's about conversation, and when the content is outside the conversational tone, then it almost becomes daunting.

Those of us who spend any length of time in the social media space tend to have a laundry list of blogs that we read each day. Some we scroll through just to get the gist of what the writer is discussing, others we're sure to read word for word every day. My reader has 75+ blogs in it, can you imagine if each one of those posts was technical in nature?

Visuals help too. Break up those words with a few photos or relevant videos, will ya?

Thanks!

Maybe that makes me a snob, or someone who prefers to get her information at a 6th grade reading level, but as I see it, information in social media should remain conversational - quick and easy to consume. After all, there's so much of it and so little time to sift through the technical jargon.

Just a thought from a dedicated blog writer and reader.

Cheers!

-A