Things 'n' stuff

On Friday - which seems like ages ago because I keep getting up early to watch soccer - Alma and I were at Navy Pier for a company party. Why do people like or go to Navy Pier? Most of it is just a big mall where everything costs twice as much as in real life. All that's left is a couple amusement park rides (we rode the Ferris wheel, which was fun, but was it ten dollars' worth of fun?) and one of the lamest mini golf courses I've ever seen in my life (we didn't play it). Alma kept wondering aloud why on earth this is considered a tourist destination, and I'm compelled to agree.

I went in to work early today so that I could take a two-hour lunch break for the U.S. game. Drew and I went to Houlihan's because the Bennigan's was slow in opening and clearly had a lamer TV selection in the bar. The Houlihan's bar was actually pretty well-stocked with U.S. soccer fans, although half of them came in a little late. We were closest to the door of the non-wall tables, so the following exchange or a variation thereof happened at least three times:

Guy: "What? A goal already?"
Me: "Koller header."
Guy: "...shit!"

That's probably a slight exaggeration, but that was the general mood. Drew and I got there about three minutes in, meaning we had barely gotten into our chairs when the first goal went in. The food was pretty good, but it came too fast, so I ordered dessert just to keep our spot for a bit longer (the crowd outside was insane; you'd think there wasn't anywhere else to eat in the Illinois Center). Guess what wasn't worth it. All my thoughts on this painful game are in the soccer blog.