happy birthday, sacha marie

Sorry I am such a lousy friend and didn't get your card out on time. But I hope you did some drinkin' and dancin' like the nights we used to have in Ebert. I love you and miss you like the dickens!

This is my view from work. I literally look at this view for 6 hours a day.
It's really easy to just drift off and stare at the clouds moving through (at eye level, no less) and the flow of the traffic on Lakeshore Drive.
Also, it was so clear today that I saw Wisconsin (which is labeled "Cheese" on the interactive telescope) and Michigan. I saw four different states while at work. Like...that's crazy.
It's a nice payoff for dealing with some of those bloodsucking tourists.

dear hannah,

Hi Hannah, it's Hannah. You've had a long day. A long week. But have no fear, you have a nice hot bath running, a beer sitting on the side, along with a teacup filled with M&Ms and a few peanut butter cups for good measure. You have your girl crush Laura Marling blaring through your tiny apartment, and you're about to rest your tired legs. Remember when you used to take baths all the time? Don't think about the trip you have to make tomorrow. Why would others really want to spend Easter with their families at home, when they could be working? Dealing with mean tourists is fun. It'll be okay. Wish them a happy holiday and maybe they'll be guilted into posing for a stupid photo in front of a green screen. And keep in mind, you know what Friday is, right? It's your first day off in over two weeks! And the employment gods have smiled upon you, and gave you a day off on the blessed day of the ROYAL WEDDING. You'll stuff your face with pancakes and watch Matt Laurer pretend he's interested in British fashion. And speaking of England, remember that move that you want to make next year? You're one month closer. You work 17 days in a row to save up money to do the things you want to do. Everyone needs something to look forward to. I think it lessens the sting that you have no life goals or aspirations to have a career. You just want to live your vagabond life wandering around. And that's okay. You'll get there someday. Think of all the character building you're doing. But for right now, rest your legs that you stand on for hours upon hours (maybe next month you should keep track of all the hours you stand at work. I bet it would be a lot), sing along to the songs that were all written about Marcus Mumford and pretend that maybe you were in a relationship with him, and then wrote a whole bunch of songs about it. It's not lonely or pathetic, because it's your daydream. And you've earned the right to daydream all you fucking want.

Hang in there. I love you.
Hannah

jho

So this past week was my first week at the John Hancock Observatory. It's been 100x better than Skydeck, and I'm actually excited to go to work in the morning. Well, let's say, I'm not counting down the minutes until I get off. My commute time has been cut in half, my new co-workers are baller (and new co-worker Dan is a pretty rad artist), and I get that nice view from the 94th floor for hours a day. It's been a good week.

So, come June I'm gonna go here:


With this cool kid:


To see these lovely lads:



AND I CAN'T FUCKING WAIT.

six hours spent at the sky deck ledge

Okay, it's not often you can say you worked in a little glass box that dangles 1,400+ feet in the air. It's true. I'll admit, it's fun up there, until you meet the thousands of people who visit on a daily basis. And then you realize, they're all dumb. Dumb. As. Shit.

I'm sure most have you saw my recent Facebook post:

So I worked at the top of the Sears Tower today, my number one question: "Where is Lake Michigan?" My inner monologue screamed back, "Are you fucking blind? That blue stuff, that's Lake Michigan."

And that's not even half of the shit I hear up there.

Example: While over-looking the Sox stadium (which at 1,400 feet about the ground, you can tell is a baseball stadium) Dude: "What's going on there? Baseball, maybe?"

Example: "So, the lake is primarily to the East?" Primarily? Try, 'the lake is to the East', dude. He then later asked, "Is there an East Chicago?" to which I replied, "The lake."

Example:
Guy: So, what's the visibility like on a good day?
Me: I'm not sure mile-wise, but you can see four states on a clear day.
Guy: Really? Which ones?
Me: Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wis-
Guy: Ohio?
Me: No, Wis-
Guy: Iowa?
Me (in my head): Stop guessing! Christ!

Example: Lady: "Why is there white stuff in my photo? Can you make that go away?" The white stuff she was alluding to was a cloud, and no ma'am, I cannot make that go away.

Example: I'm going to tell you all right now, Chicago only has the one lake. Sorry to break it to you.

Example: While explaining how the ledge boxes actually retract back into the building so the automatic window cleaning machine can wash them, I am immediately asked, "And how do they clean the rest of the windows?"

Example: We most obviously have a sign that reads, "Take your picture for free, then see if you'd like to buy the prints. Please do not ask me the prices, I am just the photographer! Thank you!"
Everybody I talked to yesterday: "How much are the photos?"

And I'm not sure why everyone wants to see the airport so fucking badly, but it's to the west. PLEASE STOP ASKING ME THIS.

Lord, beer me strength.

is there anybody out there?

Random facts over the past week:

•I have gone from nothing but time to having no time at all. Juggling two jobs hasn't been super fun, but I'm making it work.
•The people at my local Urban have finally recognized who I am. I guess I will need to start going down to Rush Street to shop at the one there.
•I have seen far, far too many gay S&M images. ... At my job.
•I spent way too much time trying to get these damn tickets.
•I dressed as a flapper today because there weren't anymore uniforms left. I was asked many times to get my picture taken with someone. So, hello fame.
•You gotta watch Never Let Me Go. Besides the enormous talent that's involved, amazing visuals, stupendous period costumes and the interesting story line, you should probably just watch for Andrew Garfield's hair. Swoon.
•I finally convinced my mom to give me the banjo that's been sitting in a closet since 1978.
•I'm counting down the days until I can go out to Geneva and have dinner with all my middle aged friends.
•I haven't taken any pictures that legally belong to me. Sorry, kids.
•I'm going to watch Parks&Rec now. See yah.