Are You Popular?

Just came across this again. It remains to be one of my favorite movies ever made. I've made many of you watch this already, but for any of you seeing this for the first time...I envy. You may have to watch it again after being keeled over through most of it the first time.

Just when I had the thought...

"Hmmm. What am I going to blog about today?"

Max walked into the room with his newly found old frisbee stuck on his head.

They always say...

...that in Chicago there are two seasons. Winter and Construction. But even though driving around town today was much like playing super mario brothers race cart, I'll still take Construction over Winter. Amen.

M.Ward tonight at The Vic

I hope he plays this one:

In a Jiffy

Can I just say that I love the Jiffy Lube? I love the Jiffy Lube. It's like stepping back into the milk man-y, gas pump attendant-y, 1950s. Doors are held open, service is cheery, one is escorted to and fro, coffee is served and just few speedy but high quality moments later you are practically lifted from your seat and carried to your spit-shined car. I love it. I practically beg to be the one who gets to take the cars in for an oil change.

Warm today...

Grilling on the back stoop. A bike ride. A long walk. And all of this with out my ears or nose or fingers getting cold. This has to be something like what it feels like to get out of prison.

Spanish Class Tonight

I think I'm finally getting the Spanish language to click in my brain. It's really exciting for a girl who was frustrated by not being fluent after the second class. I still have many a mile to go but things are starting to come more naturally. This was the first night where I actually felt relaxed with the language. I did, however, instead of saying that I have a "comb" said that I have a "penis" -a word I don't even know in Spanish-but my teacher assured me (with a red face) that I had indeed just said penis. In fact (as the lesson was on "The Things We Carry") I think I said, "I have a penis in my purse." But I will not be rocked. It's all starting to click.

It's begun

After I snapped this photo I packed four more boxes, a big storage bin and filled two bags for the Goodwill. And still, there doesn't seem to be a dent in our stuff. I'm scared. Very scared.

Skype

So I've discovered Skype (thanks to my mom pointing it out to me after Wes pointed it out to her). I'm not one for those online social networks and whatnot, but this is kind of the stuff of kids' dreams. (Did you not ever play sci-fi house when you were a kid?) Anyhow, you probably already know this because I'm 2 or 3 years too late, but Skype is that picture phone that I always imagined would only work in a huge booth that you would have to move into your house (like on Pee-wee's playhouse) but instead is a super slick download right onto your skinny little laptop. This photo was from earlier today when I got to see and hear my nephew Lucas live on my computer. So cool and free! Of course it was way better to see him in person a few days ago, but, you know, I'm old fashioned.

The Chordettes

Tonight Eric asked me what my favorite Doo Wop song of all time is. I said "Mr. Sandman." He replied that white chicks don't sing Doo Wop. He then directed me to allmusic.com . The best thing about what I read there was that Jinny Osborn (who started the group) "was exposed to harmony singing via her father, who was president of 'The Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America Inc.'" I also liked that it not only listed Doo Wop as one of The Chordettes' styles but also claimed their genre to be R&B. "Normally I respect that website," Eric said, "but today it has made a fool of me."

Back Home Again

Tired. Hungry. Staring out the window not finding anything to blog about.

I think Lucas found his opera voice today. He sang some lovely tunes.

Nail painting at the school carnival

NE or Bust

Brewing a strong cup for today's road trip.

Still Watching for Spring

Please Vote for Us!

So the Chicago Public Library is having a poster contest and as it is, I helped our friend Chris take photos for his design.  If we get enough votes this poster could be hung all over the city and we would feel totally special. :) Voting ends April 18th.

Voting instructions (from Chris):

1. Go to www.flickr.com and login (or register for a login)

2. Go here and view my (and Jessie H's) poster design.

3. Vote for it for the People's Choice Award by adding it as a favorite
(button right above the image of the poster)

3a. or peruse the other designs and fatally vote for a different poster.

Happy Easter!

Today, to celebrate the holiday, a rock band was formed. Eric's stage name is Resurrection Rick.

Afikoman

We had a lovely time tonight at Adam and Cristin's Passover Seder. I think I speak for everyone when I say that it was fun to have a young one there to take in Passover for the very first time and to get into the "kid's parts." And though she declared that the leaving the door open for Elijah (as well as leaving a glass of wine on the table for him) was "creepy" Cristin's little sister Emma did a fine job of finding the afikoman (a half piece of matzah bread) which was hidden in the house. She claimed a fine prize and considered herself lucky that she got to do all this AND hunt for eggs tomorrow. Ah the magic of being a kid.

Lyrical

I had given up on seeing Andrew Bird this round. (Let's face it, I've gotten pretty good at missing him pretty much every round.) But the Lyric Opera House seemed like an amazing place to take him in and that's exactly what loads of other people thought as they bought out every last ticket for both shows. Well, Tom and Annie are magic. It's as simple as that. The communication when something like this:

T&A: Hey do you guy want to try to see Andrew Bird?
E&J: Been there, done that. Sold out.
T&A: I think we can work something out.
E& J: Right on! Force be with you.
[Brief time passage]
T&A: We got tickets!
E&J: How did you DO that?
T&A: Got on Ticketmaster and ordered them.

It's not really a riveting story, but knowing that tonight a seat at the Lyric has my name on it and that Mr. Bird will be on the stage, well, that is riveting. I'll try to sneak a photo.

Little Charlie got his eyelashes in since I last saw him! He looks so grown up. And he totally bats them at the ladies. Oh and let me translate the look on his face here, "Um...guys? You know that it's my dinner time don't you? You realize that we are all still sitting here at the coffee shop and that it's my dinner time...don't you? May I suggest that you head home before I make a really big deal of this?" I was busy taking photos, but Sarah caught all of that in some very specific squawks and glances. Very impressive.

Mitch Live at Costellos

A quick bite to eat turns performance art. (Mitch, you're a star. And a good sport. I know you're probably starting to forget what my face looks like without a camera in front of it.)

I gave this stinky dog a bath today. He's so spitting mad. He won't even look at me.

When your car is in the shop...

transportation is nice.

Tea Party

It's a charmed life we have here in Rogers Park.

Daddy Squeeze Trio

It was good to see my uncle Dan yesterday and to take in his talented band at one of our very own neighborhood joints, the Heartland Cafe. Many wishes for safe travels back to St. Paul and a snappy return to Chicago!

Sunny Disposition

Since some of you have asked, here are some pics of George's inner beauty.

I think we'll call it George

Ahem. Today, on this second day of April, two thousand and nine, this house became ours (well at least in contract form). In May, we will be new additions to the neighborhood of Edgebrook (Sauganash? Forest Glen? Wildwood? It's a little unclear) in the great city of Chicago (which is nice since I won't have to change the name of my blog). It's hard to pick just one thing as a favorite but I would have to pick the awesome bathtub in the upstairs bathroom. It will make Chicago winters totally worth it. If I had to pick one thing that Eric holds as favorite about the house, it would have to be that he's been coveting it for weeks and now it's his. :)  Truth be told, I've been coveting it as well, but then again I've been called a "house slut" by our realtor (who I love and will mourn when we no longer talk on the phone everyday, but who also accused me of being willing to buy any old four walls with a patch of grass and a working dishwasher.) (Sigh. I might just miss these days.) But a very high five to Eric for waiting for the right place. While I was getting ready to move into a storage pod (you can get a pretty good sized one and wire it for cable), Eric had hope. And now we both have George.

Standing in the middle of the street in the loop: a quick photo essay