Chicago: Become Familiar with its Distinctive Neighborhoods

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.

Anything cool going on the 14th-16th? I'll be there for sure this time. (I'm speaking at this conference.) I'll have some time to check out the city during the day on the 16th for sure. Am looking forward.

sincelery = food porn?

i just walked to walgreens to get claritin (why i didn't go to the much closer cvs is beyond me, other than i keep forgetting it's there) and i can confirm that it is indeed snowing in the ukrainian village. enough to dust the ice on the side of the road.

Kevin you missed it: we just had a wine and cheese soiree for the new hosting platform launch. There was easily 40lbs of cheese (hard, soft, stinky, gooey, all varieties) up there, plus pate, salami, fruit, and of course WINE. I want to go home now, and I think I will shortly.

Hi Sundar, the only thing I know for sure that's happening is that my band is playing a show on the 14th. But you'll probably be at the AACM thing that night. Come back next week, and I bet we'll have a better idea of things to do.

im sick, i get off work at 10pm and have an hour+ public transportation commute home :-((((((((

then have to leave for work @ 11am tomorrow

deej and jvc should get together and have a complain-off about work

damn, picked the right time to get sick.

also, it appears my apartment is unheated during the day. but it was starting to come on when i got back from the drug store. i've spent my day on my couch under my duvet trying (unsuccessfully) to sleep sitting up. if i lay down the sinus pressure is too much and i start coughing.

but i did make a big cheesy baked potato so it wasn't all bad.

i think we're going to see shellac that weekend. and isn't there some thrill jockey anniversary party all that weekend as well?

Rave for August: Osage County

If you are ever in San Francisco and are in a band (Nick, Sarah, John), you should play at The Make-Out Room, and I would highly recommend dinner with the predictibly debonair M. White.

that's right around the corner from my friend dan's place. should have told him you were playing....

if you were going to curate a summer film series to a general audience, using "los angeles" as your theme, what might you pick (pick 4, plus 2 backups). i was thinking:
LA Confidential
Heat
Chinatown
Boyz in d Hood
Shortcuts?
Killer of Sheep?
Collateral?

Obviously the choices here are infinitely, but what is appropriately middlebrow that it will still bring in a crowd?

I'd pick Collateral over Heat, just because of the shorter length. If the audience doesn't need to know the movies already, Echo Park and Miracle Mile are both middlebrow movies themselves, just not well known.

Oh! Laurel Canyon -- that would be a good one.

I didn't play the Makeout Room but saw the Sc0tland Yard Gosp Ch0ir there last weekend, surprised them by showing up. Afterwards, a block away, at almost midnight on Sunday night, I came across this thing called Classical Revolution at a coffeehouse/bar called Revolution. Absolutely packed little room -- four musicians (strings and piano) playing Mozart, but in this live, boisterous coffeehouse way. The room was mostly lit by music-stand lights.