Chicago: Become Familiar with its Distinctive Neighborhoods

happy new year, sarah!

I have no idea what happens here anymore. Hi guys.

My morning has been nearly French, so farcical it was. Lots of frantic running around, lots of yelling at people who can't possibly do anything about any of it.

My kitchen sink to this moment continues to overflow every 20-30 minutes with HUGE amounts of water -- 20-30 gallons, I estimate -- and to boot, the water smells like a fish tank that hasn't been cleaned for two years. It is vile on top of vile. The landlord is totally and completely MIA. I can't even leave him a message -- his phone number plays me a message that loops forever like the transmitter on Lost, and says to call back later. That's the only option available. Unless I call a plumber, document everything very carefully, and bill him for it. But this is feeling like a thousand-plus-dollar plumbing problem, and I don't want to just dance into sticking my landlord with that. And so here I am, not going to to work today so I can jump every half hour and sweep many many gallons of nasty nasty water out the back door, because otherwise the water will be in the living room and bedroom in a scary hurry.

This fucking sucks. :(

oh shit!

i think you should call a plumber, that sounds like an emergency.

that sucks

I take it your building doesn't have a maintenance guy in addition to the landlord?

xpost to Jordan: it's an emergency, alright! but i don't trust a plumber any more than a mechanic in this kind of emergency. I'd really rather keep bailing out the kitchen until the landlord gets back, so I can let him pay for it without any worries.

jaymc: the landlord pretty much is the maintenance as well. He owns the whole thing and tries his darndest to maintain it with the help of a couple old friends who also live here. Bless his heart.

incidentally, the old friends are nowhere to be found, either.

it's NYE, if you don't get a plumber soon you may not be able to later?

that, sir, is a fine point.

maybe i'll ride the el all night, that's something i've never done for new year's. like ride each line it's entire length so i can see every station. maybe bring an ipod and a hip flask with me.

you should also have an alarming cloud of BO around you so you'll fit in with the rest of the all-night crew

i think we will watch troll 2 tonight

(did i tell you that d got the troll/troll2 dvd for xmas? he did! troll truly has the best cast ever: noah hathaway (atreyu) as "harry potter jr.", sonny bono as "neighbor" and julia louis-dreyfus as "other neighbor.")

you should also have an alarming cloud of BO around you so you'll fit in with the rest of the all-night crew

-- La Lechera, Monday, December 31, 2007 1:18 PM (Monday, December 31, 2007 1:18 PM) Bookmark Link

i'm working on it.

amanda, we talked about this already, right?

http://www.bestworstmovie.com/

Wow Kenan, that does suck. My only idea is that maybe you do something like set the building on fire so that someone will call the landlord.

we did!

<i>My only idea is that maybe you do something like set the building on fire so that someone will call the landlord.</i>

funny you should say that... what finally got them down here was water leaking into the apt downstairs. I am unloved.

But they ARE HERE. And it's snowing. It's all gonna be ok.

damnit, step away from ilx for a couple weeks, and suddenly I forget all about bb code. Selective memory, I think.

check out my new baby:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2408/2152304949_0037ee203f.jpg?v=0
i don't know if it works and i had to carry it home in the snow but it was cheap and i like it

Happy stupid new year.

Hmmm. It sounds like your night went about as well as I expected it too (because you're home b4 midnight and you referred to '08 as "stupid").

I had a yummy new year. And it continues to be yummy because I JUST ATE A POUND OF BACON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

happy new years

years?

happy new year

Eating gorgonzola risotto and falling asleep by 1 was indeed a happy time. The drive back yesterday kind of sucked.

jaymc: I have it on good authority that kr. is a heckuva cook. Let her know that's the word on the street. :)

she very very very much is. OMG.

a new year's card i got:

http://www.someecards.com/filestorage/new_14.jpg

:)

holy shit

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fluxion/2156397340/

holy shit

-- gbx, Tuesday, January 1, 2008 10:10 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Link

ha ... you ok?

we danced to like three songs from 'graceland' last night, i had forgotten about that album but i downloaded it this morning ... it's good!

i had forgotten about that album

I guess you've been avoiding reviews of Vampire Weekend then?

Jenny made an awesome dinner from Rick Baylesss' cookbook. A spicy arroz con pollo with chipotle and some other bullshit. So good for a freezing awful night like tonight!

Then for dessert, Abuelita Mexican hot chocolate with Kahlua. MMMMMMMM

Does it strike anyone else as really odd that Netflix online movie viewer is only compatible with Internet Explorer?? You have to use IE and Windows Media Player.

But even so, it is delightful.

it's only compatible with PCs, which pisses me off greatly. i wonder if i could get IE and windows media player on my future linux computer and use it that way. probably not.

This is one of the reasons I am glad to use a PC.

17 hours per month is a pretty nice chunk of time. It loads quickly and smoothly and has good picture quality. I've used 7 hours in the past few days watching 30 Rock. It will be even better when this week when I hook up my laptop to my TV!!!

How does one do that? My dad was asking me about it.

In IE, click the Watch Instantly tab. Then watch. Instantly.

Not all movies are available on there, but most new releases and a lot of other good stuff.

I mean hooking up a laptop to a tv?

Oh, or course. Well, most newer TVs have a VGA port. Mine does not, so I am going to use a VGA to RCA cable and hook it up that way.

Also, if your computer has an S-Video outlet you could use that.

So far besides that first hour, 2008 has been pretty okay. Sorry for being a NYE Debbie Downer!

i had forgotten about that album

I guess you've been avoiding reviews of Vampire Weekend then?

-- jaymc, Wednesday, January 2, 2008 3:45 AM (9 hours ago) Bookmark Link

i saw that they often get some afropop comparisons, but i don't really hear it. they sound like the strokes with fancier guitar. i like some of their songs though.

i am listening to 'graceland' again. i think once i get the new reel-to-reel up and running i may have to record a cover of 'gumboots.'

just to stay in theme, after requesting that people give me "experiences" for xmas instead of stuff, i got two gift certificates to the old town school and i think i'm going to take african guitar this time. i also got a gift card for cooking classes at the chopping block, i need to figure out which ones i'm going to try.

i am listening to 'graceland' again.

awesome! And I mean that unironically. That's a weird and special record and I love it.

Dressing for work is going to be a small ordeal, I can tell. Three degrees? Seriously? Three? Oh jesus, I can do it, but it's going to max out my gear...

How I prepared for my bus-waiting and street walking (! ha !):
* warmest sweater I own (thanks to Nick)
* cuddle duds under jeans & cami under sweater
* big socks & snow boots
* big puffy coat
* hat and gloves and hood over hat
* hot mug of coffee in my hands

I am alone in the office so far. It's nice.

Oh yeah, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

You know what's good? All the Paul Simon solo CDs have been reissued with a few bonus tracks. Graceland has demo versions of "Homeless" and one or two others. They're for sale as single tracks on iTunes.

If you get tired of Graceland, find Hearts and Bones for a few bucks somewhere...

I ended up at Ikea last night, and for a little over $40 bought: two pans; two pots; distowels; four knives in a knife rack; a desk lamp; a thing that sorts silverware in the drawer; a jar of ligonberry jam; and three little spatulas.

Nice! Nick and I got new pots & pans from his 'rents and new towels. It was like a wedding shower all over again. :-P