The Chicago Way

• What I'm Watching/Listening To/Reading:
• What a freaking intense episode of Dexter this week! Way more so than usual.
• I keep flipping to the Golf Channel to catch little bits of their reality show, Big Break X: Michigan. Teams of amateur golfers get a chance to win an exemption into a PGA/LPGA tournament and their Q-School entry fee paid. The golf itself is interesting enough, but there's something about the hosts that cracks me up. They stand to the side, commenting quietly and somewhat inanely about the action. I think it's mostly that the male commentator generally just stares and nods. Either way, I DVR-ed a replay of the finale tonight so I can see who won. Yeah, Golf Channel.
• I predicted that Grey's Anatomy was on the way to jumping the shark and now it is reported that T.R. Knight (O'Malley) will be leaving the show. He's a seriously key part of the cast, probably even more than Isiah Washington was. Rats leaving a sinking ship, so to speak?
• Random Thoughts/Links:
• Leaving two weeks from tomorrow for Israel. Hoping to actually be able to report from there on a daily basis, which would put the year-end awards off by a few days.
• We visited the newly-opened American History Museum on Saturday. While walking around the Mall, we decided to hit Natural History to see the Nature's Best 2008 photo competition (amazing pictures, some of which you can see here) when we were surprised to be greeted on the museum's steps by a huge crowd of Santas. People of all races, mainly young, many with dyed hair and/or piercings, all in Santa or elf costumes. I did a little research when I got home and found this site that explained it all. I think it's funny that they say that people can dress up like Jesus, yet nobody did.
• Daily Rant:
• I don't know if this is a rant or a rave. This Blagojevich stuff is great. Definitely bears watching over the long term. Because they stopped him before he actually sold the Senate seat -- selling a Senate seat?!? -- and because his crimes are non-violent and relatively victimless, I can find a great deal of joy in his iniquity.