A Clever Yet Dishonest Way to Make Money ∞

This morning I received an email that read:
Hello,
I am selling the .COM version of your domain name helpsend.us.
I am asking $100 for the domain name, let me know if this interests you and I can setup a secure Escrow transaction for the transfer of ownership over to you.
Thanks
Shawn
[Dishonest Company's Name Removed]
The offer seemed like a [...]

It’s My Birthday! ∞

Will you help us get to India by giving a $28 donation in honor of my 28th birthday today?
http://bit.ly/happybdayjoel

You can find out more about our missions work and ask us any questions you may have at http://HelpSend.Us

Share and Enjoy:

I’m an Uncle! ∞

Here is a photo of my new niece! She was born about 2 hours ago. *smile*

Emma Grace Martin. 7 lbs. 2 ounces.
Congratulations! Helana and Nathan!

Share and Enjoy:

Real Life and the Movies: in 3D? ∞

Have you ever seen a movie in 3D? What was your impression of it? I’ve not seen a movie in 3D since I was six years old. It’s not because of a lack of opportunity or interest. Coraline and Up were great movies in 2D. Toy Story 1 & 2 are coming to theaters in [...]

$1.56 ∞

Several weeks ago I sent a SASE to Coke requesting a game piece for one of their “1 in 8 bottle caps wins a free drink” contests. I got the game piece in the mail a couple days ago.
Coca-Cola spent $1.56 in postage to send me a loosing bottle cap. That’s more than what I [...]

Health Care Reform ∞

There is a lot of talk in the United States right now over healthcare reform and if/how to go about doing it. For those of you unfamiliar with the situation I’ll start with a couple of quick stats:
1.) Over 45 million people in the US are uninsured.
2.)  Nearly 1/5 of all US hospital’s emergency room visits are [...]

Health Care Reform ∞

There is a lot of talk in the United States right now over healthcare reform and if/how to go about doing it. For those of you unfamiliar with the situation I’ll start with a couple of quick stats:
1.) Over 45 million people in the US are uninsured.
2.)  Nearly 1/5 of all US hospital’s emergency room visits are [...]

The Best Part of Going to the Movies ∞

One of my favorite parts about going to the movie theater is watching the previews. The actual movie I’m going to see, the popcorn, soda and snacks are great too. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy those things, but the previews may very well be my favorite part.
The excitement I feel while  seeing a preview [...]

The Internet is Amazing ∞

Seriously. When I have a song stuck in my head, need to hear it and don’t own it, I can listen to the whole thing online legally and for free. If I need directions in Amsterdam from Centraal Station to a hostel I’ve never been to before I can get them in seconds. Want to read up on [...]

Ghana Trip Canceled ∞

Technically the trip was not canceled, there are still people from Fuel International traveling to Ghana next month. It is just that Abigail and I are not able to join them. We didn’t make our fundraising goal in time to get the plane tickets (my wife’s airline does not fly to Ghana, so standby tickets [...]

Willowbrook duo has 'big heart' for mission work ∞

A news article about the trip my wife and I hope to make to Ghana next month to do volunteer work.

HelpSend.Us ∞

HelpSend.Us to Ghana in October 2009…

New site for Abigail & I to fundraise for our humanitarian aid trips abroad.

Ten years ago Fuel International trained a group of Ghanaian youth in drama evangelism. Fuel International Ghana has gone on to create their own new dramas, use evangelism as a means to church plant, host city-wide drama trainings, and expand their outreach to surrounding nations. It is with great honor we wish go and celebrate with them. Read more…

renewCHUCK.com ∞

Just launched a fan site for the TV show . It’s a horizontally scrolling site and I hope that helps it stand out. Let me know what you think!

‘Star Trek’ World Premiere Trip - April 2009 ∞

On the morning of Sunday, March 29, I was bumming around the house enjoying a well earned day off. I was checking my regular online reading list when I found out that there were some tickets going on sale for the Star Trek premiere in Sydney. The sale started in a couple hours. A few seconds later I called Abigail. She was working and out of town. I remember completely expecting her to say no to my question of a last minute trip to Australia. We were moving soon and had bills to pay, etc. The trip would be expensive. Still, I wanted to go so I asked anyways… she said we could go if i got tickets. 

I could tell she didn’t think I’d get the tickets, but I didn’t think I would either. Then I thought “What the heck? Why not try it.” A few hours later tickets went on sale… I had multiple browsers opens on our computer and just hoped it would work. Below is a shortened video of me trying to buy the tickets online (originally about 28 mins long):

XX:VIDEO GOES HERE:XX (45 seconds or less)

I immediately called Abigail with the news and then twittered about the success of buying a pair of ticket at 5:14 p.m. “I just got two tickets to the ‘Star Trek world premiere’ in Sydney, Australia!”

Friday, April 3 we left Chicago thanks to the wonder that is flying standby…after missing a few flights to LAX and changing gates I’m not sure how many times. Made it to SFO Friday night then took off and arrived at SYD on Sunday morning, April 5. It was odd skipping a whole day. It wasn’t just any day either. The day I turned 10,000 days old I was in a plane over the Pacific for 14 hours. Flying in economy no less. That’s not the best way to take such a long flight. We did, however, get to Australia, so I shouldn’t complain.

We spent a Sunday & Monday sight seeing. Monday night we caught a little bit of the pre-premiere movie setup and posted photos on my blog. Then the big day, Tuesday, movie premiere day! Abigail & I got there early afternoon, walked the red carpet, got a few photos and then saw the movie. It was amazing! You can see my review if interested.

You can find a photo gallery of our trip below:

Rotterdam, the Netherlands ∞

Abigail and I took a trip last month to Rotterdam for a few days. We were able to visit friends there and enjoy some nice time away from work. You can find photos from our trip below:

I also put together a short video about flying kites on the beach:

PRESS RELEASE: Chicago Couple Travels to ‘Star Trek’ World Premiere in Sydney ∞

April 21, 2009

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

Chicago Couple Travels to ‘Star Trek’ World Premiere in Sydney

Chicago, IL - With just two weeks until the official release of ‘Star Trek XI’ in the United States, one Chicago couple flew to Sydney, Australia just to see the world premier.

That screening was at the Opera House and featured some of the cast and crew of the new film, including J.J. Abrams, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto and Simon Pegg. No, this is not a celebrity couple, but Joel and Abigail Gratcyk are known to take last-minute international trips. Last year the Gratcyks took a four-day trip to Buenos Aries because the flights looked open a week before they planned the trip. 

“On March 29 I was reading my normal online blog list and found out 300 tickets were going on sale for the ‘Star Trek’ World Premiere in Sydney, so I called Abigail.” said Joel recalling the events that led up to the trip. “She was on a trip for work and I didn’t want to make sure big plans without talking to her first.”

Abigail said she “was sitting in my hotel room on a layover in Pittsburgh and received a phone call from Joel, ‘The Star Trek movie is premiering in Sydney on the 7th. Tickets go on sale in an hour. Can I try and get some?’ I answered with an ‘Um, sure…? If you get tickets we’ll go.’ I honestly didn’t think he would get them.”

Out of the 300 tickets that went on sale the Gratcyk’s were able to get a pair. “It’s a pretty cool story to tell people. One Sunday I was reading online about the premiere and by that Friday I was on my way Sydney.”

After some sight seeing in the city on Sunday and Monday the couple attended the movie premiere at Sydney’s Opera House. Abigail was especially excited about being able to walk the red carpet. “I was made for this, ” she recalls. “That was probably my favorite part of the trip, or at least close.” 

What did they think of the movie? Joel’s answer was that he “loved it!”, not surprising though because he has been a Trek fan for years. Abigail on the other hand was surprised that she liked the movie so much. “The movie was surprisingly good. I’ve never been a Star Trek fan, I’ve only ever seen a handful of episodes. This movie was not your normal Star Trek. J.J. Abrams is brilliant and the movie was nonstop action. It kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. I actually really enjoyed it. Just don’t start calling me a Trekkie… yet.”

—

Joel and Abigail Gratcyk have lived in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood for the last two years or so. He is a graphic designer for a church in the west suburbs and she is a flight attendant for United. All interview and photo requests and can be directed to the couple at their respective addresses.

Joel

http://joelgratcyk.com/life 

joelgratcyk [at] gmail.com

Abigail

http://skywaitress.com

abigail [at] skywaitress.com

‘Star Trek’ Movie World Premiere Setup Photos ∞

Here are a few pics from setup Monday, April 6, for the Tuesday, April 7 premiere. *smile*

Click on the photos to see larger versions of the images (then again to see source). All images are sized at 800×600.

ChicagoDailyPhoto.com ∞

In case you didn’t already know. I started a daily photo blog this month at ChicagoDailyPhoto.com. Every day a new photo posts from in or around the city of Chicago. Take a look. Let me know what you think. I look forward to your comments here or there.

Big Bang Theory ∞

I love seeing ‘Star Trek’ references in other tv shows:



Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock!

‘Our Town’ at the Lookingglass Theater ∞

Last night Abigail and I were privileged enough to see the Lookingglass Theater production of Our Town. Among the theater’s ensemble members appearing in the show’s run until Apr. 5, 2009 are David Schwimmer, Joey Slotnick, Louise Lamson, Tracy Walsh and many others. 
Our Town was the first production I have been able to see Schwimmer and Slotnick preform in live. Both [...]