Political Block Party

Apparently one of the first things that happens when you accept the nomination for president from a major political party is that the Chicago department of transportation sets up barricades and installs "Do Not Enter" signs at both ends of your block. (How are you supposed to get home?) Then they put up signs with a picture of pedestrian with the 'no' slash through it, which I assume is meant to deter both terrorists and bleary-eyed slightly-hungover men in sweatpants and red Crocs walking their dogs at 7:00 AM from loitering. I'm flipping back and forth (bad choice for v-p: Sean Henry) between excitement for having such nearby celebrity and irritation at losing my second favorite dog walk route.

Here's what my neighbor was doing last night:


And just for giggles, here's Tom Waits and "In The Neighborhood":

Ain't No Party Like The Democrat Party

Available as a t-shirt from Lucky Threadz

Nature's Gong Show

Saturday night I saw Aesop Rock perform at the Abbey Pub. This morning, I saw a squirrel fall out of a tree, land on a car and set off the alarm.

I cannot tell you which performance I enjoyed more.

A Short List

Three big summer phenomena that are just a little more exciting if you live in Chicago:

1. The Dark Knight
2. The Olympics
3. Barack Obama

Oh, and though the glory days of pro-wrestling have come and gone, it's still pretty sweet to have hometown hero (and Comrade du Lund) Phil Brooks, aka CM Punk, as the World Heavyweight champion of the WWE.

Rarr!

From sunny southern California, The Ladies say hello.

T-a-k-e-n-o-p-r-i-s-o-n-e-r-s

Going to see Aesop Rock on Saturday. Here are two demonstrations of why this is awesome:








The show is at The Abbey if you want to come along.

Profiles In Friendship: The Magnificent Large

I was asked yesterday how I felt about turning thirty, and I realized that I feel the same way about it that I feel about all impending birthdays: incredibly excited. I've known people who hate having birthdays; they don't like getting older, they don't like the annual assessment of their lives, they don't like the attention. I feel the exact opposite. I thrive on attention, both from others and myself, and my birthday is always a time that I can be unabashedly self-absorbed (as opposed to being unintentionally self-absorbed and having such behavior brought to my attention and feeling an ass.) And having a big birthday like thirty? You best believe I will be taking all chances to direct focus on myself.

And yet, I cannot be anything but stunned and moved when a friend lavishes attention on me preemptively, as has happened with my great friend Ann Marie. Though the Divine Ms. AML will not be able to attend my birthday party proper (Sept. 12th - mark your calendar), she will be making a special flight in from New York City two weeks later to take me out to dinner at the awe-inspiring Alinea. I am flabbergasted.

So all friends who are not Ann Marie, the bar has been raised. And for the few of you reading this who are not friends with Ann Marie, you should be, because as you see, she is the best.

Seriously, check out Alinea's website. Their food looks like it was designed by a chef-version of Frank Gehry who went to the future and had a culinary internship on the moon. And I imagine it tastes pretty fucking good too.

The Final Countdown / 26 Books Update

Well kids, it is twenty-nine days until I am twenty-nine no more. The sunshine of youth is dipping below the horizon more and more rapidly. Jerry Rubin said don't trust anyone over thirty, so tell me your secrets and collect on any IOUs quick, because you better believe come September I'll sell myself to the Man for thirty pieces of silver or a sub-prime adjustable mortgage first chance I get.

By the way, I've made it through the first two books on my alphabetical syllabus, Auster's Music Of Chance and Barthelme's Paradise. I have started to stray from the path, but only a little. After finishing the Barthelme* I was enthused enough to pick up the Donald's Sixty Stories again and finish up where I left off a few months ago. Also, while I'm hovering around 'B', I thought I might at least try the goddamn Da Vinci Code (Brown) since Heidi owns it and hey, might as well see if it's any fun. For my 'at work' book, I've moved into 'C' already, but am putting off the Cave book (which is a re-read anyway) for Harlan Coben's Tell No One, which came to Heidi as part of a birthday Cheesecake & Crime package from my mom. After going over my Goodreads account and my Facebook "Visual Bookshelf", I've had to make some adjustments to my original list, but I'm committed to sticking to this alphabetical structure, if somewhat loosely, because otherwise I just keep starting books, getting distracted, and setting them aside in favor of whatever new comes across my path. It's nice to have a plan. Structure = good.

See? I'm already sounding like The Man. Next thing you know, I'll be promoting ethanol and audibly wondering why no one uses turn signals anymore. You've been warned.

*I'm also thinking of re-reading Double Down, which Donald Barthelme's brothers Frederick and Steven wrote together as a collaborative memoir of their shared gambling addiction. It's a downer, but especially eye opening and important for someone in my profession. And by the by, one of my favorite lists of all time is from a McSweeney's article about the eighty-one books Barthelme reccommended to his students. After I get through my A-Z, I may start the Don's.

Status Quo, Hooray!

The Ladies have returned and the order of the universe is restored. At least for a week, then they are off to the other coast to see Grandma. I'm stocking up on hugs in the meantime.

The Obvious Choice

Mom and Pop saw The Dark Knight and loved it. They also had a brilliant idea. The perfect actor to take over the role of Joker from the departed Mr Ledger?

John Luzar.

Don't you concur?

My New Fashion Icon

Just watched Gangs Of New York again. I now have an overwhelming desire to purchase a top hat, waistcoat, and the plaidest possible pants.

And don't think I won't grow the mustache too.

Best Free Music Ever

For a while now, the best free podcast (possibly best podcast period) I have stumbled across is NPR's All Songs Considered Live Concert series. Thanks to my hero Bob Boilen, I have downloaded entire concerts by some of my favorite acts such as the Hold Steady, the New Pornographers, Spoon, Rilo Kiley, DeVotchKa, The National, The Arcade Fire ... the list keeps going. However, this week, they have absolutely outdone themselves.

Tom Waits.

Check it out!
Also, you can subscribe to the series via iTunes.

Bachelor Partying

The Ladies are off to Maine for a week for Pops's 70th. Baba will be home alone.

Let the Bacchanalia commence!