Bruce Springsteen at Wrigley in Chicago

"I've realized as long as live, I'll never be as cool as The Boss," Michael Evanchan (my hubs).

I've found in my 30's, I do a lot of self-reflection. Am I a good person? Am I fun? Am I living up to my full potential? I don't have answers to many of these questions but I do know one thing: when I'm 62 years old, I hope I'm at least 1/2 as cool as Bruce Springsteen.

Mike and I went to the Springsteen concert last night in Wrigley, and it. was. awesome. The man went for 3 1/2 hours with only a couple of quick water breaks (and a fast chug of a concert-goer's beer), and apparently he went just as long and energetically on Friday night. That means over a two-day span, a man who's the same age as my mom sang, danced and bopped for 420 minutes. Isn't that crazy? I had to sit down twice because I was so exhausted.

The Boss not only belted it out, he danced the entire time. He played several guitars. He ran off the stage and into the crowd. He plucked a young girl from the crowd and carried her on his shoulders. He also jumped on the piano to perform and happily kept going when the rain started coming down. He simply tilted his head to the sky, closed his eyes and let the rain wash over him. You could tell he enjoyed every stinkin' wet minute.

 One of my favorite moments is when he belted out "Dancing in the Dark." I remember when this song came out in 1984. When I heard it on the radio or MTV, I tried to shake my 6-year old booty just like he shook his in his delightfully tight gray jeans. At the time, I just knew it was a catchy song. Now I can relate to the lyrics, which talk about aging and self-doubt. How great is this line? "I ain't nothing but tired. Man I'm just tired and bored with myself." And who can't relate to, "I check my look in the mirror...wanna change my clothes, my hair, my face!"

After the show, the rain continued and of course, there wasn't a cab to be found. So Mike and I walked from Wrigley to Lincoln Park and got soaking wet during the 1.6 mile jaunt. When Mike seemed shocked that I wasn't complaining (like usual), I said, "Bruce just went 3 1/2 hours for us. Walking home in the rain is the least we can do for him." Mike laughed.

Well done, Springsteen. Well done.

Facebook relationship status

You can wear your status! Courtesy: Zazzle.com

I'm obsessed with Facebook relationship drama. Ob-sessed. You know the kind I'm talking about too...so and so changes their status from "married" to "it's complicated" or so and so is in an "open relationship." It takes everything I have to not send them a message (whether I know them well or not) and ask, "What in the world happened?" Or "What do you mean by open relationship?" And just what are they open to...getting an STD?

It's very clear that people update their relationship status a) because they are super honest b) they just want to get it over with, knowing people with ask questions or c) they enjoy the drama. I've seen couples who are clearly taunting each other with their changed statuses and posts that are obvious jabs directed at their spouse/girlfriend/boyfriend. 

My favorite is when in just a matter of a few days, someone goes from "married" to "it's complicated" to "separated" to "married" again. Phew, who can keep up? What that essentially means is "I'm married to Mike." "Mike flirted with a girl and now I'm mad." "Mike and I fought all night and I think it's over." "Oops, found out the girl Mike was talking to is his co-worker." Every up and down of their marriage is put out there for the world to see.

To think--Mark Zuckerberg designed the relationship status just to find out if the hot women on campus were single or not. Now, not only do we get to find out if they're happy in their relationship, but we also find out how they look in a cell phone self-portrait with kissy-face duck lips.

Kristen Stewart cheating scandal

Oh my goodness, can you believe this latest national scandal? No, not the Chick-fil-A hoop-la, I'm talking about Kristen Stewart cheating on her Twilight co-star Robert Pattinson. What was she thinking??

Courtesy: US Weekly

In the latest issue of US Weekly, there is not one, not two, but five pictures showing Stewart either kissing or cuddling with her Snow White and the Huntsman director, Rupert Sanders, who is 41 and married. The photos are in the daylight and oh-so obvious.

Okay Kristen--here's the deal. Have you never picked up a copy of US Weekly? Do you know millions of us eagerly buy them every week so we can see you and all the other Hollywood stars flocking on the beach or walking your dogs. Heck, we even want to know you're "Just Like Us" in photos showing you picking your teeth, pulling a wedgie out of your behind or licking your fingers after eating delicious Buffalo Wings. Somehow seeing photos of you walking out of the grocery store with toilet paper and no make-up on, takes my mind off the incredible pain I'm enduring on the gym treadmill or the pain I'm about to endure at the dentist.

Also, have you ever seen the great lengths the paparazzi go to to find y'all? You've probably noticed them every time you step out of your house, car or restaurant. And don't you find it strange that there are always black cars following you everywhere you go?

I'm pretty sure if photogs can capture images of Shiloh Pitt cruising down the Nile River with Angelina Jolie on their peace mission in Egypt or photograph Suri Cruise mid-breakdown after not getting the puppy she wanted in a pet store, they can probably find you in the outskirts of L.A. at 2 p.m. on a Tuesday.

Just sayin'.

And Rob-I'm so sorry you're heartbroken. But here's my number. Call me maybe?

Chicago is one expensive city

We've given the city of Chicago a lot of our money. And I mean a lot. You may remember me telling you about the parking sticker debacle of 2011 that cost us $240. We had an expired parking sticker but didn't know it...we parked in a friend's neighborhood...we never got the ticket and blah, blah, blah, we ended up owing the city a ton of cash.

And of course there's always the tremendously large amount of rent we pay, which is partially so high because of Chicago taxes. I won't give you an exact figure, but let's just say in my 2 1/2 years here, we have paid a healthy five-figure number for a one-bedroom apartment. And you can't forget the food, drinks and just about everything else that costs more in a city.

But apparently it's not enough. Chicago always wants more.

Look at this fun letter I opened yesterday. Yep, the city caught us (and by us, I really mean my husband) running a red light last month which will now cost us a cool Benjamin Franklin. (Sadly, I'm pretty sure the last time I got a $100 bill was when I graduated from college.)

Oh, and there's no denying the infraction...there's photographic proof. They included three photos of my Murano cruising through that light like Katie Holmes is cruising her way out of being Mrs. Cruise. The city says I can fight it, but why even bother? I just hope the guy in the white car next to us got the same fun letter.

The funny thing is...I know exactly when this happened. It was my grad school graduation day and Mike was driving his parents and my dad home from Evanston. I can almost envision that car ride...lots of family members talking all at once about their ingrown toenails Christmas Vacation style and Mike knew he needed to lay on that gas and get home as quickly as possible.

The other funny thing is...this isn't our only ticket from that day. Yep, Chicago found us later parked on our street so my parents could have our parking garage spot and wouldn't ya know, we had an expired license plate. That cost us another $60. Yep, it seems we'll never learn. It's just so hard keeping up with car stuff when I only drive the car once every couple of weeks.

So there you go Chicago, you're getting another $160 from the Evanchans. The new score--Chicago 3, Evanchans 0.

Too much coffee?

Have you ever seen a woman get out of her car along the interstate, scream obscenities, wave her fist in anger and then drop her shorts and panties and start peeing along the side of the road for all to see? Yep, I didn't think so.

This past Saturday, my mom and I were driving back from Jackson, Tennessee after our week away in the country. As we were driving along I-40, traffic got really backed up and for more than an hour we puttered between 0-2 miles per hour. Admittedly, it was maddening. Finally we saw an exit and decided to drive down the emergency lane to get it to it. We got behind another car that was doing the same thing. Apparently a semi-truck driver thought we were trying to cut him off, so he pulled the truck over and blocked us. I could see the woman in front of us and she didn't handle this road block well. She grabbed the steering wheel and stared shaking her body violently. (Ironically enough, she had room to get past the truck, but women never have a sense of how big/small their car is, right?)

The woman, who is probably in her late 30's or early 40's, then turned around to our car and started yelling, "Stop following me!" Okay lady, we were not trying to get to the same fun party you were, we were just trying to get out of traffic too. My mom decided to get away from the crazy kitty and ducked back into traffic. As we passed the woman, I saw her grab her door handle and she flew the door open with fury. I immediately hit the locks on our car, thinking she was probably going to attack us. She then started waving her fist, yelled and then pulled down her shorts and granny panties and started peeing along the side of the road. I saw white. A lot of white butt. It was ewwie. Funny enough, the two men in her car just stared straight ahead and didn't say a word.

Here's my mom. She did not pee along the interstate.

The woman then got back in her car, pulled up a little bit and jumped back out and started yelling at the truck driver while waving her now peed-on fist. It was the dang weirdest thing. Apparently she really had to pee and was beyond upset at the truck driver for not letting her pass.

Rule number one: Never get in the way of a woman that has had too much coffee. Rule number two: Take a picture! Damn you Jeannie, you missed a great Facebook status update. Rule number three: If the woman in your car hops out and pulls down her undies so she can pee pee, just stare straight ahead and don't ask questions. It's best.

Miss USA 2002 reunion

Well, that sure was fun.

A couple of weekends ago I went to Las Vegas for a Miss USA 2002 10-year reunion. I was Miss Wyoming back in the day, so I got together with some of the other hotties from that year for a weekend of dinner, drinks, pool time, dressing up and well, a little red carpet time. It was so stinkin' fun!

What's funny is how many of my friends and classmates saw pictures posted on Facebook and told me they had no idea I was Miss Wyoming. I guess that's good that I'm not trying too hard to live in my glory days. (Although I'm pretty sure I told everyone I met that weekend and it may or may not have gotten me free drinks).

I really can't believe it's been 10 years since I packed up my sequins gowns and headed to Gary, Indiana for three weeks of rehearsals and being wined and dined by Donald Trump at the Trump hotel. I also can't believe we got to go to Gary, Indiana in February when the pageant is now held in Las Vegas in June. Hmm.

Through Facebook and the reunion it's been so fun reconnecting and seeing what these incredible women have done. Some are on television or commercials, some are public speakers, some are moms, some have even gone on to become Mrs. titleholders, in fact one is now Mrs. United States. It was also great being able to catch up but knowing thankfully, I no longer have to compete next to these beauties in a swimsuit.

A big thank-you to Montana for setting it all up. Meredith--you worked hard to make sure we all felt like princesses. And a big shout-out to Nebraska, New Jersey, Missouri, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas and the other Miss Wyoming's I met from other years. It's pretty cool knowing women only get more gorgeous and amazing in their 30's.

Time Magazine cover of breastfeeding mom-when should he be cut off?

I'm sure by now all of you have seen the Time magazine cover of a mom breastfeeding her surprisingly large 3-year old son with the headline "Are You Mom Enough?" The photo is about attachment parenting which is about how to keep your kid attached to you at all times, which sometimes requires a wooden chair. (Or something like that).

Of course, this photo has angered a lot of people and was a topic in my photojournalism class this week when our guest lecturer (a photo editor at the Tribune) asked if we thought this photo went too far.

Me being the smart aleck I am had two thoughts: One, this kid is HUGE for a 3-year old, which clearly shows milk does the body good. And two, I immediately thought this would make a great blog.


So here it goes...my top 5 list of "When it may be "Time" to cut off your child...

1) You realize you may have breastfed too long when your child becomes so good at getting your bra off, he can do it one-handed like Zac Efron in The Lucky One.

2) You realize you may have breastfed too long when your child says to you, "I got a fever, and the only prescription is a little more boob." (Sorry, too cheesy?)

3) You realize you may have breastfed too long when your son says, "Hey Ma. How many times do I gots to tell you, I prefer yours red bras over de white ones." (Is anyone else picturing a little Guido here?)

4) You realize you may have breastfed too long when you child can walk over to you, sit down, lift up your shirt and ask about day.

5) You realize you may have breastfed too long when your child's friends are over and one complains about being thirsty, so your kid offers up "mom's free milk."