August 28, 2000: Train back to Chicago

Marianne took me to the train station station for my trip back to Chicago.    Wendy wanted to have a child, but they were having trouble.    The doctor said to try in a year.     It was sad to leave as I loved to see them.  I realized all summer how much my family meant to me. I got along with everyone especially the Gonyo side, as they were so down-to-earth.   I always felt like myself around them.

August 26, 2000: Camping Trip

Got up for breakfast. Harold was picking on us as usual.    He made us pancakes for breakfast.   Kim seemed very happy being a mother.     Owen was pretty quiet for some reason.    Cheryl, Wendy, Todd, Joy, Marianne, and George came down to the beach.   Cheryl and I were talking about teaching, as it had been an interest of mine.

Skip came camping.   The guys tried to get Cheryl and I to get them beers but we wouldn't.   Then, Jo, Jase, and Adam came down to the beach.   Jase sat next to me.    He had one more interview to go through in order to be accepted into the Michigan State Police Academy.    Chad was living in Bloomington, IN.  He was training for the Navy Seals.   He proposed to Christy in May, but she didn't accept.   Jo wasn't sure why Christy said no to the proposal.    Adam hurt his vertebrae in football.   He had dyed his hair blonde.

Then, Harold, Jase and I walked back together to the campsite.  Harold was telling me how he took Jase to this bar after they tried on tuxedos for Dawn's wedding.  I guess some girl had her eyes on Jase at the bar.

Harold asked Jase if he had a girlfriend. Jase's response was 'yes, she was in jail.'.    I thought that was a hilarious response. Jase got his mom and I a pop.    Jase was the sweetest and best looking dude I've ever met.   He didn't like sweeping for his dad, but said it was a job.

We all had to eat fast as the sky was getting very dark.  We could hear thunder in the distance.    Sure enough, as soon as we finished dinner, it began to pour down rain outside.      We all ran for the camper.    Kim's in-laws had come for dinner.   Jase, Jo, and I talked for quite a while.    Showed them my pictures of the Mexico trip and of the gay pride day parade in Chicago.   That parade was so funny!    We got about 4 inches of rain that night.    Wendy and Todd's tent had 4 inches of water, so they packed up and went home.

Jase and Adam left as Jase had to do some road sweeping the next day.    Dawn showed me her beautiful wedding pictures.  Jo gave me some beautiful dish towels with lighthouses on them.     Marianne gave me the same card that my cube mate had given me. I got a kick out of that.

The rest of us went inside the camper and talked.    The adults were talking about the old days and how each of them met their spouses and how they were proposed to.    Skip and Jo went home as Skip had to fly somewhere the next day for a conference.     

August 25, 2000: German Park & Camping

George, Marianne, Joy, and I helped peel onions, sort potatoes, and sort sausages for the German Park festival.   Then, we had a real nice luncheon that included fruit, chips, sandwiches, cubed cheese, pop, and cookies.     We went home to pack for the camping trip. George and Marianne have a 5th wheel trailer which was so nice for camping.    

We got to the campground.  Harold, Cheryl, Kim, and Alex came and we all walked down to the beach.    Kim got out one of these Mad Lib books which we filled out. It was hilarious what we came up with.   

August 24, 2000: 26th Birthday

Today was my 26th birthday.  My cube mate, Ceylon, gave me this funny card and then a box of Fanny Mae candy.   I thought that was so sweet of her.    After work, I took Amtrak to Ann Arbor for the annual camping trip with the Gonyos, Klees, and Lawvers.     I was quite excited about seeing everyone.

August 20, 2000: Chris Blackwell/IRI

Today, my boss, Chris Blackwell, announced that he was leaving our department and transferring to CPG network.    He knew more about the Safeway delivery than anyone in the group.    He had been a real good boss and friend to me the past few years.    I will miss him.

Joe Idstein asked to have a meeting with me as he was concerned about Chris leaving.    Joe asked if we could put our past behind us, which I agreed to.   

Chris Blackwell, Tony Dragel, and Yolanda Thomas were the original group members of the retail database group when I started at IRI in May 1997.  Lilly Dunson, Josh Bulak,  and I started about the same time in 1997.   I enjoyed my time with all of them at IRI.  We had alot of fun both at work and outside of work.     We used to go out to lunch for each person's birthday, so I got to eat at all kinds of neat restaurants.      Ed Slivinskas and Jennifer Lovato came after that.    Lilly and I used to hang around them and have a good time.  Later on,  Jennifer and Ed got married.      Jeanette Walls joined the group.  Her twin sister also worked at IRI.   Bryan Kerr joined the group.     Lilly nicknamed him, 'Bean' as he used to look like the English character, Mr. Bean.     We called him by his nickname.     

I will never forget working with these people as long as I live. I hope to keep in contact with them.

August 20, 2000: Fontrise Charles

Fontrise and I had breakfast at the Golden Nugget restaurant.    Then, we went shopping at the shoe stores and CD stores on Clark Street.    The air show was going on this weekend, so we could hear the planes flying above.   

August 19, 2000: Christina Aguilera Concert with Fontrise

Fontrise Charles, my friend from college, came down to visit me for the weekend.  We went to the United Center to see Christina Aguilera and Destiny's Child in concert.    I think we were one of the oldest people there.   We had a good time at the concert.    Then, Fontrise and I went for pizza in downtown Chicago at Pizzeria Unio.    Fontrise fell down a step at the restaurant and hurt her knee.    We waited forever for our pizza.   The manager ended up giving us the food for free due to her fall and the pizza taking so long.  

August 18, 2000: Ceylon Hayes and I Met Tyrese

My cube mate at IRI, Ceylon Hayes Ewing, was a big movie star fan like I am.    I heard that the R and B singer, Tyrese, was going to be at the Grand Opening of the Guess store on Michigan Avenue.   Ceylon and I went down there after work to meet Tyrese and get his autograph. We waited in line for 1 hr and 15 minutes to get our picture with him.  Both of us didn't think he was that friendly, so were disappointed in that.       But, it was still fun to meet someone famous.

August 11, 2000: Liz Daraskavich

Liz Daraskavich, a co-worker at IRI, came to visit me after work.  We went shopping at Century Mall on Clark/Diversey.  We went into the Express store and some gal asked if I was Amy.  I looked up and couldn't believe my eyes. It was Julie Christensen from my graduating class at Mona Shores High School.     Her boyfriend lived in Chicago.  She lived in Grand Rapids.   I told her I had been living in Chicago for almost 4 years.  She was so surprised.   

Liz and I walked down Clark St. toward Fullerton and had a bite to eat at Mickey's Snack Bar.    We had dinner outside, which was pretty cool.  It was nice of her to come and visit me.