On the road. Rothbury, here we come!

And then I will be in the forest.

Not much to report, but a big couple of days coming up. From now on when I feel overwhelmed and I don't want to be anywhere, I'm going to remind myself that pretty soon I will actually be in the middle of nowhere. Thank goodness.

Jedi Master

I forgot to mention yesterday that I spent a lot of the weekend watching Star Wars. It took three runs of the Empire Strikes Back before I finally caught the part where Luke meets Yoda. I never noticed before just how much he really does sound like Fozzie the bear. (FYI for those not brought up in the world of Jim Henson, Yoda is, in fact, a Muppet of the same voice as Fozzie, Grover, Miss Piggy, Bert, and the Cookie Monster.)

Cubs put up a good effort last night but lost it toward the end. Met a nice man and his son who came up from downstate for the game. Father's day, I think, since he said he has been bringing his son to a Cubs game for his birthday every year since he was five. Turns out he and the friend I came with were born on the same day, just one year a part. No one seemed to think that was as funny a coincidence as me.

The seats were really awesome, though. I did not intentionally buy the very back row again, but I was glad I did. It was great to have another evening, warm this time, looking out at the city and the lake and the baseball game all at once. Afterward, I went to the Gingerman. They had Oberon and Two-Hearted and were playing Wilco's "Via Chicago" when we walked in. We stayed and shot pool. (I won two games on account of accidental 8-ball sinks).

Add to that the crowded bus ride back, and it was a pretty quintessential Chicago evening.
Which, I guess, is all I wanted.

Cubs-Yankees

I just looked at the last post before I started writing this one. It ends with "I really need to start biking to work." Turns out, what I really need is to put some air in my tires. But I did bike to work today, at least to grab my Cards hat and the Wrigley tix. Now off to the game!

It will be fun to see two teams I don't like try to beat each other. It sort of reminds me of this weekend, constantly trying to figure out and root for the lesser of two evils. In the end, you never really know. You only know how the game ends.

Oh also, I ate it in the driveway by my apartment before I came up here. Maybe I look more badass with a skinned knee. Now I get to bike back!

Imma tell you when I'm ready, when I'm ready Imma tell ya

Ran the fast-four miles yesterday and rewarded myself with a double-Treme.
Latest musical introduction: Katey Red.





Tonight I'll get to see some old friends, including a long-awaited performance by Laura Dunn and the Ghosts of Xmas Past!
http://www.myspace.com/lauradunnandtheghosts

Might even make up for getting TOTALLY slammed on the train AGAIN this morning. I really need to start biking to work.

Reunion Night

Great set at Simon's last night. Just the right amount of people, and jivers too. Really just the way I first encountered it and will always remember it. The band was on a roll, perhaps a whiskey-infused roll, but still, they were rockin' past 11. And since the 29th is a special fifth Wednesday show, at least I won't feel bad if Nik and I don't make it up to the Electric Forest that night. She would dig it.

(Excuse the poor shaky video, but this is a good sound representation, from summer 2009)




Finally getting to hear some good live/local music reminded me of other Chicago bands I should try to see in the next few weeks. Luckily, JT & the Clouds have several shows lined up. Definitely will have to make one of these:

Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Evanston Starlight Concert Series @ Bent Park, Central St.

Friday, July 22, 2011
JT and the Clouds w/ Akasha! @ Hideout

And yes, I did go to kickboxing. Compliments to my new kicks!

Deluxe Late Night

So I failed on the Treme-watching. And the being better. But I did manage to have a mini vinyl-sesh. Although that was a bummer too, seeing as I might have ruined the first side of Rubber Soul. So much dust on the record that it clumped up on the needle, which proceeded to rip across "In My Life" like a screechy horror film.

Even tried to pump myself up from that with a little second-side MJ. I still couldn't calm down and ended up trading a good night's sleep for a late-night run to the Deluxe Diner. Great portabella and fries. A little reading and writing. And today's another 'nother day, right?

Also, just discovered CTA late slips. Wish they came in bulk.
http://www.wbez.org/blog/city-room-blog/2011-06-15/late-slip-cta-why-day-above-all-others-87888

Another day

Yesterday was hard. I still don't understand why it is so hard to just enjoy these days of nothing, but it is. Today I will try to do better. Lots of Treme to catch up on. And tomorrow is back to Simon's for one of my last chances to see the Western Elstons. God I will miss that.

"Here were the children of the American bop night."

Starting at Home

With the 'rents in town, planned to make use of that rare opportunity for automobile travel. Instead, made a full weekend around home, soaking up the best of Edgewater & Andersonville. Delicious dinner at Uncommon Ground (Devon), shopping (and donating!) at Brown Elephant, tour of Midsommarfest, lunch at Taste of Heavon, brief stop at Simon's, and late night dinner and drinks at the Edgewater Lounge. Sunday brought a sampling of some new dishes at the Loving Hut, followed by a return to Midsommarfest and the Edgewater Lounge. Was worth the walk back down just to see Robbie Fulks & Nora O'Connor at the closing set. A sample from their recent stint at the hideout:

The Countdown Begins

Ten weeks to New York.

Eight weeks to Redwoods.

Seven weeks to move-out.

Five weeks to end of work.

Three weeks to Electric Forest.