Saturday, 2 April 2005: I'm not sure why I had this mental image, but I always thought that Green Bay would be a really large city. I'm not talking Chicago-sized, but something along the lines of Madison or Milwaukee. Imagine my surprise when we finally saw it in daylight today (we got in while it was dark last night and couldn't really see anything) and discovered that there ain't much to it. I don't think there's a building taller than six stories. Naperville has a population almost double that of Green Bay which I found shocking. Every map I've ever looked at made Green Bay appear to be some relatively huge mecca.

For the wedding weekend, we have been staying in a Hilton a couple blocks away from Lambeau Field. Before the wedding, a bunch of us went on a tour of Lambeau this morning and it really was impressive. The tour guide knew his stuff and was very enthusiastic. Heck, I almost bought into his pro-Packers mantra. No... not really.

My little cousin-in-law, Evan, ran into Packer head coach Mike Sherman who signed an autograph for him and posed for a photo. The real kicker of this situation is that Evan was clad in a Bears sweatsuit (with a Cubs hat to top it off). I find that so funny.

The wedding was held at a church a few miles away from our hotel while the reception was at... gads... Brett Favre's Steakhouse located on Brett Favre Pass (yes, that's actually a street name) a block removed from Lombardi Boulevard.

I know that sports fans can become very, shall we say, "enthusiastic." But this was bordering on obsessive-compulsive. Yikes. It was almost scary. Aren't you supposed to wait until a person dies to name a street after them or dedicate a building in their honor? If I were Brett Favre, I don't know if I'd feel honored or scared that someone is gunning to snuff me out.

On a positive note, the wedding was nice and they had plenty of TVs at the reception (it is a bar, after all... what else is there to do in Green Bay but drink?) so we could all indulge in watching the Illini clean up against Louisville. That was a helluva game.

Friday, 1 April 2005: Certain to go down in the annals as one of the greatest toy-related April Fool's pranks ever, Sideshow Toys, renowned for their 1/6 scale action figures (that's roughly 12 inches to those of you not so great with fractions), put up this announcement on their website regarding a new figure they will be releasing and are currently accepting preorders on (I don't know how long they will keep this ad up on the site; it may be only one day or they may keep it up as a record of their April Fool's pranks)...

Here is the accompanying text from the ad...

This replica features Obi-wan's Jedi robe, recreated in 1/4 scale to the finest detail by Greg Mowry. The robe is artfully displayed in the 'death heap' as it appeared at the end of the fateful scene of Vader's triumph over Obi-wan. The robe also features the dusty foot prints of Vader, that were made as he kicked the garment to verify that his kill was final. The replica comes mounted on a base featuring Death Star flooring texture as well as Obi-wan's discarded light saber. Our production team has crafted the base to interlock with our Darth Vader exclusive Premium Format figure base so that Vader can gloat in his triumph.

This Exclusive Obi-wan with the Force Premium Format replica comes with an electronic audio chip of blaster sounds and Luke's cry of despair! [Click here to Listen]

Damn if this isn't funny as hell. I just hope that Sideshow puts up a count of how many people actually try to preorder this figure. I would love to know how many people are gullible enough to believe it.

Thursday, 31 March 2005: This was just too creepy to not mention here. For some time now, I've been trying to find out what has happened to some of my old college friends that I lost touch with. I've tried Googling, I've used the NIU Alumni Association site, etc., with varied results. One of my friends, Laura Westlund, just seemed to have dropped off the face of the Earth. I had been looking into information for her as recently as a couple of months ago.

However, today, I was in Panera Bread and bought a Jones Soda root beer. I picked it up because we had been discussing the company and its marketing strategy in my MBA marketing class. Very unique company in that they allow their customers to dictate the flavors and bottle art. So I picked up my first Jones and started checking out the label. Pretty cool photo of some wooden chairs in someone's yard with trees in the background. The back of the bottle describes how Jones decided to let Panera employees take the photos that would adorn the bottles sold in their restaurants. I started wondering if they put photo credits on the bottle. Sure enough, it was right along the side of the photo. And, in the spirit of this post, the photo was taken by "Laura Westlund of Plainfield, Ill."

Can you get much weirder than that?

Wednesday, 30 March 2005: I took Katie's car in this morning for an oil change and tire rotation in anticipation of our trip into the Third Ring of Hell this weekend (read: Green Bay, Wisconsin). While in the waiting room, I found a February 2005 Redbook magazine sitting on their windowsill that featured Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards on the cover looking happy as all get out and talking about the keys to their "successful marriage."

I'm thinking someone at Redbook missed the memo.

I know that with publication and printing deadlines, it's hard to change something as big as a cover story to coincide with the fact that Denise filed for divorce from Charlie. Actually, I'm betting this issue came out just before the actual filing of the divorce papers. But, still and all the same, I would certainly hate to be the editor in chief (or anybody there right now) sitting in his/her office with their tail between their legs looking at the cover of this magazine. Ouch. That's painful.

Tuesday, 29 March 2005: Today, a new DVD is being released that I kinda want to buy. It's the Pierce Brosnan-Woody Harrelson-Salma Hayek caper flick After the Sunset. It really was an enjoyable flick. Very popcorn, yes, but a lot of fun.

However, my brother in law, Scott, thinks I have ulterior motives in my desire to own the movie. Motives that manifest themselves in the form of Salma Hayek. Apparently, in his mind, the only reason I want to own this movie is because Hayek is "hot" in it. Well, okay, admittedly she looks hotter than I've seen her since Desperado or From Dusk Till Dawn (save for the fangs and vampiric contact lenses). And this certainly makes up for her unibrowed "uglying down" in Frida.

But, no, this is not my primary reason for wanting this movie. It really is fun. My wife got a kick out of his theory and is now subscribing to it as well despite the fact that she liked it even more than I did and wanted to see it a second time while it was still in theaters. Yet, still, I want to own it for Salma.

Man, I can't win for losing. Damn you, Scott.

Monday, 28 March 2005: I'm thinking it doesn't pay to live in the general vicinity of Indonesia these days. A tsunami-inducing earthquake in December. Another earthquake just now. A death toll in the area exceeding the tens of thousands. What does God have against that area? Why not hit Korea with a natural disaster? Or wherever Osama Bin Laden is holed up? They must have really ticked you off, eh?

Sunday, 27 March 2005: Hey Michigan State! I know I was singing your praises back on Friday, but let's not get too carried away, okay? I just wanted you to bump off Duke... not Kentucky, too! I love my Cats. Well, I'm not too terribly upset, I suppose. Illinois is still going strong. That is one definite plus in an otherwise upsetting day.