Chicago: Become Familiar with its Distinctive Neighborhoods

My best anecdote from being the tall guy in front is from when a ton of my college friends and I came to Chicago to see Fugazi at the Congress. We were the first people in line, like 5 hours before the doors opened, and we got let in in time to see the opener finishing their sound check. We were up against the stage almost all the way across. Photographers and asshole fans tried to push in front and gave me all manner of shit for being "too tall" but they didn't wait outside on the street for hours, so fuck them. Plus I was (and still am) bigger than them, and so could be intimidating. I think I was wearing a tshirt with the sleeves cut off that day, too!

Also at that show matttttt and my friends Brad and Rachel got their picture taken down in front by the stage and were on the front page of the Trib lifestyle section.

xpost: I can't hear you down there!

As a 5'6"er, I say tall people have every right to be as far up front as they want--as long as they're in a squatting position.

Yeah, like we'd cede our advantage and open ourselves up to your lilliputian kickings!

i get so annoyed by all this stuff at shows as well, it makes me feel old that for a lot of shows i think i'd prefer assigned seating.

dan, was that the show they did with shellac? i was there as well, although standing more towards the back. picked up cute boy that was waaaay too young for me,though.

Yes! And the Ex. That was the shit. $6 for that show, what a deal. One of the best shows of my life.

Bell's returns in six bars: Clark Street Ale House, Lemmings, Silver Cloud, Northside Bar & Grill, The Handlebar, and Twisted Spoke.

Four of those six are within a half-mile radius of The Crotch. :(

Hell, 3 of them are within 3-4 blocks on the same street. I haven't been to Lemmings in a long while...

Yay for the crotch. ha ha
I love handlebar so much, so very very much.

hola amigos
my weekend was not notable.

i did just devour a me-made spinach pie. this was my 3rd attempt to get it right (making, not eating -- i'm pretty awesome at that part) and i think i'm almost there.

I haven't been there in a while, but I've always been kind of underwhelmed by Handlebar. Still would like to go back, though. I tried a couple of months ago, but it was way too busy and so we went to Treat instead.

Handlebar is gooooooood

i think i need to stop going to shows that other people want to go to

Yeah, you probably need to find a more inaccessible/exclusive genre to explore.

too many people like music

Bbbut the VEGGIE SIDES. Also, they have bottled root beer there, which makes me so so very happy.

I recommend taking up experimental sound installations, instead.

I went to one of those recently, in Millennium Park. Lots of space there!

Like, you know, a drop of water falling every 3-7 minutes onto a sheet of glass, that's miced and sampled and fed back to the speakers as a child crying. That sort of thing.

that was the wrong venue for that show but whatever, i know why they played it. when they were here last year they packed the abbey and before that mark practically banged out the empty bottle by himself. i wasn't shocked that it was crazy insane packed but i was hoping the weather would keep some people away.

unrelated- being so congested that you have to breath through your mouth = not good times at all.

that stinks, kevin!

our building is having a holiday party in the lobby. i feel like the loser kid at middle school lunch, because there's nobody else in my office (literally), so i don't know anyone. i got a plate of free food and am now having a holiday party with you guys instead!

Let's go for drinks on Thursday. I'm going to Old Timer's after work if I don't hear anything beforehand.

i'm going to a champagne tasting on thurday, and then getting food ready for the party...which you're all really excited about, right? right?

ooh sounds like fun
but i can't because i will be hopping around gree hee hee

collette! that reminds me. i am not going to be able to make it to your party because it conflicts with another holiday party related to d's work. :( i'm sorry. i do celebrate your citizenship.

aw, we'll miss you! have fun at the other party, though...

That reminds me, I'm a "maybe" for the partay.

Just heard: Winter storm on the way, could generate 6" of snow.

I'm listening to the Democratic candidate debate live on NPR. Kucinich is astonishingly on point almost across the board.

All this talk of snow and no action...

it's coming down here

all i have to do tonight is drive to a bar for a book club meeting. luckily, this bar is close to my house and serves chili.

What's the book?

I am ready for this party Friday. Also, I'm pumped for our show Saturday. :-D

Hey- random question. If my company doesn't match 401k contributions, would I be better off investing for retirement some other way? Also, does the current state of the market make 401ks more risky? I need to fill out my benefit changes for 2008 asap.

Michael Perry, Population 485

Never heard of it. Thumbs up?

Yeah, pretty good. It's by a dude from a tiny town in Wisconsin who moved back there and became a volunteer firefighter (and writer obv.). It's some autobio, some ruminative small town stuff, some EMT/firefighting stories. Not the sort of thing I would usually pick up, but he's a good writer and I've heard he's a bro (from people who have gone to readings).

Snow!

I'm not seeing any yet!

drive home tonight is gonna suuuuuuuuck

I've got a friend in town doing residency interviews, and I'd like to convince him to move here but I don't know how what he'll think of a big winter storm. It's too bad they can't do the interviews in the summer.

where's your show on saturday?

i think 401Ks are risky if they invest heavily in one company (like, some companies give you a load of their own stock) but if you can pick a good index fund they're fine...you're putting money in regularly, and when the price goes down it's like you're buying a stock-market bargain!

I know we're not supposed to talk about 401ks, but just the other day some dude accidentally opened up my paycheck envelope and was like "I didn't see my 401k deduction, and I realized it wasn't mine", and hey, he was right. I swear to god I set up all that shit, like, a year ago, but apparently I never confirmed it. I just did, I think with the investments I picked back then...no idea what they are, but how bad can it be, right?

I think I have the option to choose my own or have someone else choose for me.

Our show is at R0nny's in logan Square, colette. COME!

i'll certainly try to...this week is kind of insane, but i'd really like to see you guys play!

i just found a questionable short curly hair on the lid of my coffee cup

i am not pleased

Blech.

New printer just arrived and is about to be installed! :-D Later dudes.

A way you don't want to sign off in your letter to the Editor after your manuscript has gotten negative reviews:

"Sincelery"

sin celery, tomate o cebolla

If my company doesn't match 401k contributions, would I be better off investing for retirement some other way?

This is a good question, since mine doesn't, apparently.

i've been rather AWOL but this article will make a lot of you want to come & visit.

http://articles.citypages.com/2007-11-28/restaurants/cheese-supreme/full/

Hmm... Based on this bl00mberg.com calculator, it would be really nice to have a matching contribution.