The weekend before the weekend before last

(it's taken me this long to post it because I hadn't downloaded my pictures...Sorry!)

Birds at the nature museum where I went for friends A & S's super-fun wedding.

That Friday morning: Lois discovered a dead squirrel at the foot of one of the backyard trees, and then I went to the dental specialists, and was seen and talked over by both the endodontist and the periodontist (and three of their helpers), and the conclusion is that it's time for me to have my troubled tooth (the one that hurt so bad the last time I blogged) pulled, and have an implant put in, and possibly I'll have to have that happen to the tooth next to it soon as well. This was a big, HUGE bummer. A 3-to-5-thousand-dollar-out-of-pocket-per-tooth bummer. Seriously. I have no idea how I will swing this. No idea. I don't even have that much freed credit on cards. I wanted to go back to school, but that's up in smoke. I am really freaked out.

This is what the center office of a German American membership organization office looks like just before Oktoberfest (note giant stein).
Then, a few hours and much lost will to live later, I rode my bike to my Friday volunteer gig - where I am trying to organize the files of a German-American membership organization, the one that houses my German language school. It's sort of hilarious - a) ME organizing files (but I sorta get into it) and b) the state of these files - yikes. I really like the people there and the place is calm/quiet and interesting. I feel like I am really helping and it's a good thing for me, too, as this project is my partial scholarship towards taking German.

Amazing set by Giant Sand with perfect weather and crowd.

I then interviewed some pilates teachers for the real job (yes, on my day off - erg) and then rushed home to do some laundry. It was actually a great thing to do on a Friday night - as Saturday and Sunday were filled to the brim with working and the Hideout Block Party, which was awesome. It's a two-day music fest that I've ben volunteering for for like 11 years, from pouring beer to selling tickets to chaeking ids, it's such a fun festival to be a part of and the Hideout people - owners and staff - are the best. I registered voters on Saturday, and worked backstage on Sunday, and ate REALLY delicious organically grown vegan food from one of the vendors called Urb Garden - from Iowa City, Churlita! - and saw a really great set by Giant Sand, and took myself and my friend J on a tour of the City of Chicago's Fleet Management Department - basically 3 city blocks of enclosed warehouses for the city's thousands of vehicles. It was awesome. And that was all before Neko's set!

J in the Fleet Management center. We just asked, and they let us walk around unsupervised! Don't try this at home...

On my dog walking break I went and got a pedicure at a new place to me, recommended by a work friend who knew I owed myself this treat post-triathlon, and it was the best EVER. They give you tea, they use salt scrub on your legs, give you good foot, leg and shoulder massages at varying points, pour hot milk on your freshly scrubbed skin, use hot towels at least twice, and are super nice. It wasn't even expensive. I am definitely going to go there from now on for my 2x a year pamper treat...

Fellow voter registrars S & E in the goofy red shirts we wore.

I also grabbed the crappy child bike trailer from my back yard that's been sitting there for 2 years since I tried riding with Lois in it and she got out. I attached it to my bike and pedaled back to the Block Party, where Working Bikes was set up to take donations, and I hope someone there will make good use of the thing - maybe make it into a cargo trailer. I love the bike people, as you may know. But mainly it was fun to get rid of the thing, since I recently bought a super expensive fancy new dog trailer.

Zombies assembled backstage getting ready for their Thriller dance as part of an AMAZING Michael Jackson tribute show that was the musical highlight of the Block Party.

When I think of all the things I would like to do with my time, it's overwhelming. I've been realizing lately that being poor is a real time game - you're not only broke with regard to money, but time is just not available to you like it is to others. I think I'll dedicate a whole post to this...money stuff is making me think a lot about life and priorities. I know I am handicapped in that arena and I wonder just how much it is affecting things like my ability to meet guys...

So, yeah, the block party was great this year. Super great. I had a blast and sort of just felt right at home, which is fun, esp. when I haven't been out almost all summer because of that triathlon phase. I even got up on stage each night and encouraged more voter registrations, so that was fun. Now if I could only meet some of the hot hipster guys I saw there...

Lordy Lordy

G, looking pretty damn surprised when he walked in.

Then he was hugged his by son J, who shouted "Surprise!" the loudest of anyone.

My friend G, a drummer in many an excellent band, and an all-around great, funny, wonderful guy that everyone loves, turned 40 last Thursday and his wife, my friend B, threw him a huge, fun, crazy surprise party at a club called Martyr's.


The band onstage when he walked in was Exo, who he played with years and years ago. He was really really touched to see em all together. G even got behind the drum kit at the end of the evening with them (for the first time all night!) when they came up for an "encore" after all the other bands had played.



Now, this party was even advertised as a "show" in the newspapers, on the website for more than a month, and on the club's outdoor marquee, and G was still surprised, hadn't gotten wind of it at all. It was awesome.


I forgot my camera, but I had my trusty, non-flash, less than 1 megapixel camera phone handy. This is why the pics all suck.

Probably the funniest moment of the night, Robbie Fulks and band's improv-rap-scat song about G.

I helped out by stage managing the bands that were playing, all 10 or so of which have a G connection somehow. It was super fun. And it was excellent to have a role - if you know me, you know how I hate to just be at a party.


The emcee was Dick O'Day, who was hilarious. We worked together to make the show run smoothly despite the grouchiest sound guy in Chicago (seriously!) trying to bring us down for most of the night.


Oh, there was bingo! Dick O'Day brought it. It was fun. Whenever there was a "G" called, he asked for a piece of G trivia.


Here's the awesome mom of G, who came in from New Hampshire for the party, and brought great posters of digitized pictures and ephemera from G's childhood/life. Including letters like "No one loves me, I hate you, I do not want to speak to anyone ever again and that's final, Love, G" type things in total kid writing. Have I told you how much I love G's mom?

I only drank 3 drinks in about 6 hours, and still I was a wreck the next day. It was super fun though. B did a great job.

Phone pic catchup

Friday night was the awesome Polkaholics doing a "musical" of the life of Li'l Wally Jagiello, but they did a whole regular set first, and we were tired, so
...B (above, in bad no-light pic) and I had to leave early. We'd been out to delicious dinner beforehand, and got to visit a little more at the bar during the break, too, so that was the main thing anyway. We definitely thought their set time choices were lame - wouldn't you want the people less ridiculously drunk for the thing you've worked on for a year, and have them plastered for your regular stuff?
Saturday morning I was up with the birds to get down to Ohio St. beach for an open water swim. I was a little late, though, and couldn't find my training group among the spandex-and-neoprene crowd that was there. It's amazing how many people are up and out that early as it gets closer to the event!
This is my favorite photo. It doesn't quite capture how high (and super frightening) the waves were. I swam a crazy half-mile in it. I have never had such a treacherous swim in my life! Luckily the triathlon will be in a harbor, and the waves won't be as bad. You can see how few people actually swam once they saw the 4-foot waves. Grueling.
Even more ridiculous than the wetsuit crowd are these incredible herds of runners who are out at 5, 6, 7am on Saturdays on the lakefront in August. I know they are part of running/training groups, but it's sorta scary when you see them coming. Like, there are hundreds and hundreds of them, stampeding along the trail out of nowhere. Hard to bike around, too.
I have to say though, that the triathlon people are all very friendly and super cool. I feel like I've discovered a whole new world I never knew existed! Plus, it is really great to be up and already all worked out before 8am on a gorgeous summer Saturday!
After a coffee and walk with Lois, it was off to my friend S's (with A, above) yard sale, where a bunch of us hung out and kept her and her landlady company while they peddled their wares.
It was a fun group of people. D, A and J (seated on left) brought sausages, hot dogs and buns and D grilled them for us for a lunchtime treat.
But the best part was the amazing lemonade J sold for 50¢ a glass, and the delicious ghirardelli brownies that were 50¢ each, too. His mom made it and he and his brother were splitting the profits with charity. Cute, huh? The kicker was that he poured you your yummy lemonade and then if you wanted, you could add a "splash" of vodka from the cooler. We were all very relaxed that afternoon.
Then I rode home for a bit, and rode back, and S and I rode to A's lovely house for a LOVELY dinner! She made penne with vodka sauce and caesar salad and R grilled sausages and J brought fresh bread from Red Hen Bakery and we all brought wine and a fantastic group of 7 was there and the great conversation, out in the beautifully lit backyard at night, was funny and mellow and fabulous. S and two friends joined us later, after they were out to eat. No one wanted to leave. I didn't get any pictures (besides the spread, above) because really, it was too perfect to spoil. I found out J and I went to the same grade school and middle school! He's 6 years older but still, it was fun to know that. We talked religion, and libido, and future planning, and art - it was a perfect dinner party.
SO, then on the ride home at 2am, a rear spoke on my bike broke as I rode through Logan Square from A's place in Humboldt. I rode on it anyway because it was so late - to the bike shop - and locked and left it there over night. Then I walked home, stopping at about 3 at the Burrito House, above, for horchata and guacamole. I have never seen so many people in line there! (But I've also never been there at Saturday bar closing time.)
And though I've spent like 150 dollars in transport already this month, I rented an iGo on Sunday afternoon (after sleeping until 1pm and the hour-long walk back to the bike shop to bring it in) so I could take Lois to the dog beach for the first time in a long, long time. She had a blast - but there were so many people there (lots of unattended kids that didn't even seem to have dogs with them, annoying), she really didn't play with other dogs and focused on playing ball.
Lois loves swimming, but she's really slow going in and getting to the ball. If another dog goes for her ball, she just lets the dog take it. It's funny.
It was a great weekend. Then I worked yesterday and subbed a couple of art classes and went to the dermatologist and then to awesome bike class where I replaced my brake cables and housing and learned about tire trueing (sp?), which was too late for my spoke problem, but still cool to learn. There was a massive storm while we were in there - we heard that a tornado hit. But we kept going. I love my bike class. Then it stormed again, all night almost, and poor Lois freaked out. Seems calm this morning, but I saw some serious downed trees and pieces of building on our late between-storms walk last night. Also three birds that were hurt badly by the storm on the sidewalk - I didn't realize until Lois sorta chased one that that's what was going on. Sad!

Today I'm up early for no good reason. I have a "big" tri practice tonight - our group is meeting at the race site to go over transitions and get the lay of the land for the event. Maybe I'll take pics. I hope my good bike is finished being fixed and I can pick it up!

Monday again...

Here's an awesome front parkway garden on my daily "bunnyland" walks down a favorite residential street in Chicago.
It's pouring out again and my computer bag (waterproof, supposedly - one of those fancy bikey Timbuk2 ones) is still drying out from Saturday's ride downtown and back. But I made it to work, damp, also with my giant swim bag, because today is a swim workout and I'm looking forward to it! With all the other training and the open water swims, I only get to my neglected pool once a week at most.

Last night I was supposed to meet friends at a rock show of my friend's awesome band The Thin Man, but they weren't starting til 10 (on a Sunday!), and after cooking a delicious shrimp/broccoli/mushroom alfredo w/whole wheat pasta, and eating it, I lost all steam. (I'd been up for a long, time, too, don't forget.)

Instead I watched the movie "The Year of the Dog" - it was a slow-moving, somewhat depressing, but really good film about the sad, changing life of a single 40-something woman whose dog dies. My friend M had told me a while ago not to see it, and I can appreciate his warning, but rented it because I wanted something "easy" to watch while I cleaned and folded clothes. It certainly wasn't that kind of movie. Lots of dogs in it though, which kept Lois barking at the screen every once in a while.

My uncle and aunt's dog Izzy. I'm using up a couple phone pics today.

How do people come to bring meaning to their lives? It was a very à propos film because I've been thinking about that theme a lot recently. Some people have it seemingly made - a life that's defined and rich and full of ideas that match what they spend their time doing, and others are in a constant search to find something, anything to make it all worthwhile. (For many that's kids - for better or worse.)

It's a continuum for sure, and I know that the folks I try to surround myself with are integrated people, who have something unique and authentic inside that drives them to be themselves and share it with the world. Because that's ultimately how I see myself. Trying to be a better person all the time, to do and be what is meaningful... to me, and to the people I can connect with in this life.

I think it's why I've eschewed some of my ambition, over the last five years or so, in the music business - it just doesn't appeal to my best self, and I'm already surrounded by the people in that world I enjoy anyway, on their own, so I don't have to push to be or have something more, like a fancy job or unlimited contacts. I think about this because in years past I would never have missed the Pitchfork festival - the chance to schmooze and network with all my friends and acquaintances backstage, etc., but this year there's other stuff going on, and it wasn't a priority. Months ago I'd emailed the organizer, who I've worked with in the past, about working the fest, and honestly I was glad when he didn't give me a job this year. Plus, there's the core: the music - and seeing a favorite band in a small club is SO much preferable to me, soundwise, crowdwise, weatherwise... It's why tonight I hope to make it to see the one band I would have enjoyed seeing at Pitchfork, though I may be too late because I have my bike class. We'll see. Check back - could be an awesome dance party!


In other news, my good friend P is in town from NY - yea! - and I'm taking a day off on Wednesday to celebrate and hang with him. We're looking into going to an amusement park (!!), which I haven't done in years, and would be SO FUN, but actually anything, even nothing, will be fun with him. (We've also discussed getting pedicures.)

Braindead - fine.

I tried to post a short video I shot of the band playing Brain Dead, one of my favorite songs of all time, but the file was too big. Here's a picture instead. (Thanks P!)
I actually went out last night! I saw a "reunion" show by a band I used to love a lot called Red Red Meat - two of the members are now in Califone, a band I also love. It was a FABULOUS show, a prep for their performance this weekend at the Sub Pop 20-year anniversary fest in Seattle. That would be great to go to...

Many friends were there, and it was great to see them all. It was my friend BA's birthday and she was in good form, and I met and talked to a new cute guy, but I forgot to say goodbye to him - oh well. I was good; I drank water all night! The weird part is that circa 1993, when I first heard the music they were playing, I didn't know any of the people that would have been in that room, or the band — but now I knew like 1/3 of the audience and 3/4ths of the band, which is...weird. It really took me on a head trip, because it's music from the heart of my anonymous and hopeful Iowa City-livin' indie-music-lovin' young self, not the jaded, old girl, still-single Chicago music scene diehard I've become.

Plus, WX was there (because he turns up at random things that you can't predict given his musical taste) and he was with a new gf, and that was, um, interesting information. As a friend remarked to me, somewhat surprised, when they saw the woman: "Wow - WX is a chubby chaser!"

And I guess it could be true. I don't know how I feel about that - being a part of that/any pattern. I'd never consider myself in that group, but this proves, after seeing the last few women he's been with, and ex pictures, I guess I'm one too. Yuck!!

My theory: probably that he feels most comfortable with women with low self-esteem (and thus weight issues) who won't go too far into finding/feeling they deserve someone of emotional substance — for awhile. And who don't notice how socially/self unaware he is. (Me included, before I broke up with him.) But damn. Quite a creepy revelation.

At least I can say that I'm better looking than his recent ladies. One guy friend said this poor new girl looks like a man (and it's somewhat true, actually)! See, my friends never liked WX so much, which is unfortunate, because I really liked him for a while there... but who am I to argue now?

ANyway, back to me: All that going out, being social, and then coming home at 1 and walking Lois and lying in bed thinking of everything I have to do for the festival this wknd kept me up til 4. 4!! And, I was up at 8 today. Yikes. When will I catch up on all of this? Plus, I'm behind by one big bike/run workout from Wednesday and I'm not sure when I can make it up since I am supposed to do another one today, the group workout Saturday and another long bike Sunday. I MISS JUST SWIMMING!!

Mucha Mucca

Foxy MPer Jeff T. revs up the audience Bugs Bunny style.
There's this somewhat indescribable (they say "circus punk marching band") band I love here in Chicago called Mucca Pazza, who I went to see Thursday night, and they were, as they are always, so much fun!! It was their record release show, at this new-ish venue that is cool looking but fairly badly run (NO air conditioning or fans and it was SWELTERINGLY hot, and they ran out of beer before the band even started).
There's the crazy horn section, sneaking up to the balcony!
I bought a tank top and proceeded to change into it in the back upper left of the crowded show where I was with my friends M & K and their three girls. Then I met my friend S. (whose birthday is today, and who is in town from L.A.) and we danced our sweaty asses off.

Shazzar gets excited about the Muccas.
After the show, it was off to the Whirlaway, a great bar around the corner, with some guys from the band that S. friends with. That was fun, too, but I was exhausted, so I just sat there listening most of the time.

Last night was another family picnic/barbecue. I also did laundry while we ate.

Saturday, I rode downtown at 6:30am and swam in Lake Michigan at Ohio St. beach with my group - our first open-water swim training. It was such a good practice, but very cold, and actually, it was sorta freaky - I tried swimming in my wetsuit for the first time. I'd purchased it from ebay, and it's a diving suit, not a specific triathlon suit, so it's really not made for swimming or, apparently, moving your arms around much at all. I felt like I was dying after just a little bit in the open water. It's the combination of the bitter cold, lack of vision, and no range of motion in my upper body without causing my chest to feel totally constricted and choke-y.

My parents surprised me by showing up at at the midpoint of my 1/2 mile swim with their dog and my dog (who had slept over at their place). How fun to look up from the water onto the breakfront wall and see them!! I have no idea how my mom recognized me - there were at least 30 other wetsuit-google-swimcap-clad freaks out there with me at that point. I could barely tell the men from the women.

Lovely Tour de Fat on a perfect day in lovely Palmer Square. Mucca Pazza played this fest too.
With them, I walked through downtown and ate breakfast, and then I rode home, and then to Palmer Square for the Tour de Fat, this AWESOME AWESOME new (to Chicago) touring festival put on by the New Belgium Brewing Co. (makers of Fat Tire) to benefit the supercool bike place where I took my basic bikes workshop. I was a volunteer selling merch from 12-5 and it was much fun. Mucca Pazza played and are on part of the tour - so it was excellent to see them again, but I didn't dance as much because I was sorta far away from the stage. And trying to sell stuff.

Two of my co-merch sellers in the New Belgium tent.
I met and talked to some very nice guys who were volunteering with me and who were just customers/TdF-goers. I think the bike people are the best people ever. Everyone was friendly and unpretentious. That's one sorta important thing I thought of this weekend - the last two guys I've dated (DG and WX) didn't even own bikes. One had two Porsches (plus a motorcycle he never wore a helmet on) and spent a great deal of his time and money racing and talking about the Porsches, and the other, when I said, excitedly, on one of the first warm days, "Hey, you should get a bike so we can ride to stuff!" said to me completely seriously, "Why would I want a bike when I have a car?" - so, since neither of these guys ended up having the values I hold dear about people and life and the world and how to treat each other, etc., I figured out the common thing missing from them: the bicycle.

Anyway, I also saw my crush at the Tour de Fat - the guy who taught my bike workshop. He's still super cute. But of course, out of nervousness and then later out of tired, 3-beer tipsyness, I awkwardly shouted over to him - yes, twice - "Hey, it's my bike teacher!"

Did I talk with him like a normal person? No. Did I find out if he was single? No. Did I embarrass myself totally? Yes.

Then that night, I was in bed at 9pm. That is all.

Quickie

Here's my concrete picnic with W (date #3; that's his knee) where we were among the 15,000 people at Millennium Park for the Decemberists + Grant Park Symphony show on Wednesday.


The concert was just OK, it rained on us, and I thought the orchestral arrangements were lame. Good peoplewatchin', though. Best part of the show was when the Decemberists just played their encore alone, like a regular show. (The date? Ehhh.)

More later. I am still computerless and only using a desktop from work. My laptop died with all my pictures and music still on it. They think it was the logic board. Uggggh.

xoxo

Foiled. Again.

The outfits of one of the bands I saw Saturday (the Neanderthals), drying out after their set, backstage.

This is the weekend of cancelling Poptart's plans, apparently.

Despite a massive hangover from Thursday night, I had a great lunch Friday with M, who it seems is for real moving to the neighborhood from the burbs (yea!!!). Then I worked, and then took off to walk Lois, shower and change, and maybe lie down for a few minutes for my "dinner and drinks" date - sushi, supposedly - with W. I did all that, and then he called at the appointed time, and he sounded as tired as I was, and he said he hurt his back sorta, and we talked on the phone for an hour and a half, and he cancelled the date and asked if I could change to the next night. (Nope.) So then we tentatively said we'd do something today. Hmmm. But, I had plans for today to go canoeing on the river with my friend R.



So it was a free Friday night, and I lay in bed for a couple hours petting Lois and then went to see my friend/former coworker Liam's band, The New Black, play at the Beat Kitchen at midnight, and it was fun. Liam moved to NY almost 2 years ago and this is the first time they've played since then, so it was excellent to see him. He was, in turn, really glad to see everyone who came out. It was a love-fest. (Sidenote: when people move to NY, they inevitably lose weight, I've noticed. Maybe I should consider it...)

Saturday was gorgeous. Walked Lois, put on my swimsuit and headed over to the pool for many eagerly anticipated laps, and damn if the pool wasn't CLOSED for some dumb cleaning emergency. It was way too hot for me to run, and I was really ready for a good long swim - I need the exercise! I was so mad that I said "THAT SUCKS!" kind of loudly on the way out of the fieldhouse. I felt like I was one of those people for a minute. Funny.



Instead, I took Lois to the dog beach, and was hoping to go in myself a little, but the lifeguards weren't letting people into the water because of high e coli in the water (ick!) so I let Lois risk it because she was loving it, as you can see. Then my friend R called me to say he was in a bike accident Thursday (he's OK, the cat probably isn't) and had to cancel canoeing for Sunday, and that it'd be too hot and gross to canoe anyway. Then it was time to go out to Fitzgeralds with my friend T for Exotica fest.



It was fun, interesting, some really good music and peoplewatching, but it was just Way. Too. Long. There were vendors selling vintage clothing and cool tiki accessories, and the food, from Wishbone, was great. Plus, natch, there were tiki drink specials, and everything came with a little paper umbrella in it. In a crazy, uncharacteristic in ALL respects for Poptart shopping moment, I spotted a great 1950s halter dress, tried it on, it fit like a glove, and since it was MADE for me, I purchased it for way too much money on the credit card I just put my digital camera on. Ugh. But honestly, vintage stuff almost never works for me, 50s dresses especially, and this dress is just - awesome. So after that initial magic moment, I was there, and on my feet, for 10 hours. And I love the surf guitar stuff...I can only take so much of it. Plus, my take on the tiki/surf/exotica fest people is that basically THEY ARE ALL MARRIED PEOPLE. So being me, like an alien in that crowd for too long, was - let's just say it - annoying.


Wall of vintage dressing music peeps - or as my old roommate used to call them, "the hair gang"

Luckily I did have a role, which was to be the handler/designated sane person for T, who was in charge of the Go-Go dancers, and it's her last hurrah with them, and she was, well, on a sort of binge of craziness. I think she had a good time. I had to dole out the drink tickets and be the voice of reason and drive her home and all that. It was good that I had something to do.



By the time the last band, a Los Straitjackets cover outfit from Indiana, was playing, I was cleaning out my purse and sitting outside, alone, trying to telepathically make the stage clock go faster and wondering what it would be like to be a rat and have everyone be bigger than you but also terrified of you.

SO. Now it's Sunday, and it's 95 degrees, and I taught my art class and cleaned up in time to FINALLY get in a fabulous, full hour swim!! Then I got online and found an email from W that he's cancelling aGAIN for today, because he's sick, and now I am free to lie here and moon about why I don't have anyone to lie here in the fan and do nothing with (well, besides Lois). I guess I'll have to keep dating to find him. Hmmph.

Maybe I'll go to a movie later. The cinema is always my backup true love, and rarely disappoints. I could always clean my place and do my bills, but then what will I have to freak out about as I try to sleep tonight and for the rest of the week?

Sick (and tired)

The view outside of my apartment - Eight of my windows face what was once a quaint old-time gas station, and now they're digging it up after two years standing untouched. You would not believe the gasoline stench that is permeating the neighborhood. It's incredible. Noisy as hell, too.

Ugh. I woke up today with a chest like a ton of bricks, not much voice, and that glazed -eye, head-aching, fatigue that can only mean bronchitis. Or something.

I tried to sleep through the racket they are making outside, and thankfully Lois let me sleep in a bit. The first thing I thought was "Damn, I guess I shouldn't swim." and then, "Work. Shit." So I called in. I also am looking for subs for my three art classes tomorrow, which is tough without a voice. It sucks too because I love the classes and could use the money.

Yesterday was Lois Day, the 2nd anniversary of her adoption. We didn't do much to celebrate (last year there was a party) except a couple of nice long walks and playing with the ball at the good park, and some extra treats throughout the day. Many times I'm reminded that she's the best thing in my life — I'm so glad she's here with me!

I went to the Peter, Bjorn and John concert last night which was AMAZING - they put on quite a show and I am officially a superfan. NG was there with his new girl, and it was nice to see him - not weird at all. His ex, DG's friend and "clicker," was also there, and I'm pretty sure I saw her a couple of times but can't be sure; I've only seen her "enhanced" pic on the web. I helped sell merch after the show and that was fun, too. I like being useful.

But the funniest part was before the show: Sheila made us two cucumber and cheese on pumpernickel sandwiches in the cab on the way over there from work, and we ate the sandwiches standing on the sidewalk outside the Empty Bottle, like a bad Ravinia midnight picnic. Bruce, the owner, was outside and he took a picture of us, so I emailed him to send it to me, but I haven't heard back yet.

Even though I am in hell of sickness today, it was a really fun night out and there were a LOT of cute guys there, proving that they exist. Only they were mostly with girls and/or had wedding rings on, but so what? AT LEAST THEY FUCKING EXIST.

And I only thought about DG a few times.

And I got a cool t-shirt. So there.