let's go find me a ham

just got back from a weekend with two great friends in illinois. we went to ikea and i almost ikea-d my pants, it was so overwhelming. here's the good news: i have a new, particle board and cheaply produced, assembled and purchased nightstand. i sheepishly looked away while driving through holland on my way to work monday and today: there are several woodworking shops that have closed/are closing, probably because of the trend in meijer's and target and ikea that allows buyers to purchase just about everything but the staircase in their home and assemble it, thus drastically reducing the cost to the consumer (along with using cheaper labor and crappier materials). i should have purchased something in holland, and i would tell a friend she or he should have purchased something locally. unfortunately, low cost won my inner battle. but i understand that there is a high cost to low price. next time i purchase something, it will be from a local merchant oh yes.

during our stay in the fair lincoln state, we visited the village of hinsdale, where soccer superstar mia hamm lives with her cubs husband. my friend jorie told a story about her mother and sister who were driving through hinsdale when sister jenna said, "let's go find mia hamm" and her mother said "why on earth do you need a ham?" i laughed for a while about that. i mean, really, how often can you actually say that when it really just works?? in other news, my friend peter berghoef is now a published poet - check him out at www.2river.org