Arts in Chicago - "His Way" at the His Way Theatre

Ron Hawking performs His Way, an homage to the greatest entertainers from the golden age of entertainment. Mr. Hawking comfortably fields numerous styles including those of Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, Luis Armstrong, and of course blue eyes himself Frank Sinatra. Set in the beautiful "His Way Theatre" in NBC Tower; a theater whose design is inspired by the Copa Room at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas. The theater includes cabaret table seating, love seats, and velvet theatre seats from the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. The theater is the perfect setting for this show which transports the audience to a bygone era of lounge singers and larger than life personas. Open run. Highly recommended. 4* stars.

Arts in Chicago - "Jacqueline Kennedy: The White House Years" at The Field Museum

The Jacqueline Kennedy: The White House Years exhibit explores the life of Jacqueline Kennedy through the lens of her style. Style is more than just appearance it is a reflection of ourselves and our environment. We come to know Jackie as a women of taste, sensitivity, and compassion. Keenly aware of how highly influential the First Family was she took great care and attention in all she did from her choice of words during a speech in Pakistan to her restoration of the White House. Truly a world-class exhibit worthy of the woman whose timeless sense of style inspired it. Runs 13-Nov-04 through 8-May-05. Must see. 5 Stars *****.

Arts in Chicago - "Intimate Apparel" at the Steppenwolf Theatre Company

Steppenwolf Theatre Company stages the Midwest premiere of "Intimate Apparel", a story about the reconciliation of the ideal of love with the realities of life. We follow the experiences of a seamstress, Esther, as she works hard longing for the day when she will achieve her dreams. Her romantic interest is piqued through a correspondence with a worker thousands of miles away who comes to her to give a life together a chance. Esther's unspoken interest in a Jewish man, who shares her passion for fine fabrics and the artistry that goes into its creation, is one that is too early for the times due to their different ethnicity. Velma Austin plays the role of Esther with loving affection. You feel her to be a truly good person, one you empathize for and hope she gets the love and affection she deserves. Runs 13-Jan-05 through 13-Mar-05. Recommended. 3 Stars ***.

Arts in Chicago - "Measure for Measure" at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater

The Chicago Shakespeare Theater stages "Measure for Measure", a dark comedy where the storylines of the characters are delicately interwoven like a fine tapestry. Each of the main characters undergoes their own arc as they end far from where they began; the would be nun who finds her life's path forever changed, the trusted deputy who seems beyond reproach desires that which he would condemn another man to death for having, and the seemingly empathetic duke whose benevolence isn't without limits especially if it were to interfere with his own desires. The Shakespeare Theater production does the play justice integrating song and dance, wit and witticism, with drama and intrigue. Runs 7-Jan-05 through 20-Mar-05. Recommended. 3.5 Stars ***1/2.

Chartible Donations a Priority for 2005

The tsunami served as a reminder about how important it is for each of us to help others in any way we can. Lisa, her family, and I have pooled resources to donate to various charities including the Red Cross, Mercy Corps, and UNICEF. If you're unsure of what charity to donate do, a great site to compare them is Charity Navigator. Please reach into your heart and share whatever you can.

Engadget unpacks the iPod Shuffle

Visit the top gadget site, Engadget, to see the unpacking of the new iPod Shuffle.

Achieving True Wealth

True wealth is measured not by how much you've accumulated nor how nice the things are that you own; true wealth is measured by how many lives you've managed to touch.

Quote of the Moment

"We solve problems in theory that will never happen in practice." Jack Bauer. 24.

Arts in Chicago - "I Am My Own Wife" at the Goodman Theatre.

The production of I Am My Own Wife playing at the Goodman Theater is compelling, inspiring, and thought provoking. Epic in scope this story covers the life of Charlotte von Mahlsdorf in Germany who against all odds has survived the oppression of the gestapo and the East German Stasi. It is even more compelling given that actor, Jefferson Mays, plays all 34 roles! He shifts persona and accent with ease and grace. By the end of the play I couldn't help but feel a kind of reverence towards Charlotte for standing up for what she believes in no matter what the consequences were and doing what was necessary to survive. Runs 8-Jan-05 through 13-Feb-05. Highly recommended. 4 Stars ****

Memories of Mau'i

With the New Year just begun and the snow piling high our thoughts and hearts turn to Hawai'i. Visit our Web album to share some highlights from our 3rd Year Anniversary Trip to Mau'i!

Bandwidth Speed Test

Great site for testing the speed of your Internet connection! Visit Bandwidth Speed Test

Lisa's Thought for the Day

"Music touches you in places that words cannot do." Lisa

Last minute xmas!

Lisa made the most of some last minute gifts with her beautiful wraps!

Auld Lang Syne lyrics

If you've ever wondered what the lyrics are to that traditional New Years Song, Auld Lang Syne I found this site with not only the lyrics but also a translation of the Scottish words.

Technology - Roomba: The Robot that Vacuums!

Tech - Roomba,
originally uploaded by tomcxp.

For Christmas we bought the iRobot Roomba Discovery, a small robot that actually vacuums! Initially I was uncertain of how good of a job it would do but now I am a believer! This has to be my favorite gadget... it is so cool, you place Roomba in the room you want to clean and press a button and away he goes! Underlying this simplicity is complex programming devised to work around obstacles and calculate when the room has been completed. Visit the iRobot Website to learn more.