Snow Adventures!!!

The End?

Visitor

My pal Dave was in town from San Fran for the past couple days. His flight home was scheduled for today, but it got canceled on account of the eight million inches of snow.

Friday night we went out to eat at Cesar's, a Mexican place known for it's "mega" size margaritas on Clark near Belmont. After dinner, it was off to Spin. Despite the snow, it was a pretty big crowd. I think there were like 5 contestants in the shower contest, even.

Outside, the snow fell so constantly and Tyler said it looked like a snow globe.



Here's an image with a longer exposure, so you can see how fast the wind roars (I know that phrase doesn't make sense; shutup).



Since we were on the inside looking out, however, I felt that we were actually the ones inside a globe. It was a "No-Snow Globe," which exists in a world where it's always snowing. Everyone in some alternate world holds up our little globe of clarity and warmth to imagine what it's like to not have it snow.

After Spin, we went to Berlin, where we took lots of pictures.





At one point, someone pretended to take a picture of me, but they were really taking a picture of the fantastically handsome barback, who kinda looks like a cuter (and probably cooler) version of Chris Carraba from Dashboard Confessional. He even had nice tats adorning his adorable arms. Inside sources confirmed his heterosexuality, to my chagrin (like that usage, Dom?).

And we saw the lovely JayJay.


Notice my pouty lips. I'm a model.

No, she's not a drag queen. Those hands that look like hams are normal girl-size hands.

Then there was the lucious Kenya. She really wanted to do inappropriate things to me. She told me so.



Notice the hands again.

This one's kinda abstract.


Here she's with the opposite kind of tranny. Trannies rule. You hear me you trannies out there? You people rule!



And here, she's actually doing something inappropriate with me.



So, after Berlin, there was like all this snow and not so many cabs to take us home. An SUV pulled up and the guy driving told us he was a poor law student (going to John Marshall) trying to make extra cash by driving people around. There were three of us, one of him, and 2/3 of us (not me) were prissy and couldn't walk 1 block in the snow (ok, that's a little harsh - I was dressed quite warmly). Also we were all a little inebriated, so we got in.

I know, this may not be the smartest thing to do, but there were three of us and one of him. Once inside I started asking him law questions (like I know anything about law) and he seemed more legit. He told us that his main goal in law was to do "something no one has done yet." Specifically, he wants to work on legislation that would enforce parental controls on the Internet. Now, I know there are all sorts of free speech implications inherent in creating controls on what is quickly becoming the Pornernet(with some other functionality), but I do have to agree that if you google, for example, the phrase "cherry blossom" (a phrase brought up in our conversation), it's pretty likely you're going to find some porn. And it's pretty possible that a kid could be doing a report on cherry trees or something.

Anyway, the tone of the conversation was agreeably adversarial. Like, we were just shooting the breeze and putting forth counter-arguments. Well, ok, just me, as I was the only one who declined a "mega" margarita back at Cesar's.

Anyway, our plan was to go to my apartment and get my beatiful and charming animal, Racecar, and go on to our friends Tyler and David's apartment. We told the driver this and he was all like, "That's fine." So, we get to my place, which takes a good half hour and we're all talking policy and freedom of speech the whole time. I get out to get my dog and an overnight bag, then David says he wants to pee.

Tyler kinda stumbles out and mumbles about having to pee as well and starts walking in the other direction, leaving the guy alone in his truck. By the time I come back outside, the truck is gone and Tyler is nowhere in sight. We're like, "Tyler's been abducted." Just then, he comes back from around the corner. "I threw up."

We felt bad we weren't able to pay our kind driver. What was worse is that Chicago was being POUNDED with snow and after calling several cab companies, we realized we were stranded. Tyler slept on the couch and David got the bonus of sleeping in bed with me. ;)

(and I never use emoticons in postings!)

some drummers, cities of light, a dream, stuff

There's a new dream with a gratuitous midriff shot of me.

"Yes, I'll break into the Vatican with you."

Alias can kick your ass. I'm about 3/4 through the first season. I loved the delivery of the line:

Get out of my way or I'll make you get out of my way.

Monday night I went to the Empty Bottle again to see Taking Pictures. Noah, their drummer, kicks Alias' ass. he pounds those things with such a synthesis of precision and fury it is something to behold.




Did I mention he was pretty hot? (call me, Noah)

Cobra, former drummer for Appleseed Cast once held the title for most phenomenal drummer with me, but I think Noah has just wrested it.

Taking Pictures mostly performed work from their forthcoming album, but it was nevertheless fully entertaining. Even being unfamiliar with the songs, I was drawn in and the songs were almost familiar, yet not unoriginal in the least.




Opening for Pictures were New York's The Forms, with whom I was quite impressed as well. Their closing number culminated in a raucous and intens rhythmic soundscape which, due to its repetitive quality, had this hypnotic effect. Though loud and dissonant, it slowly became a lullaby in the strictest sense of the word (lulling).



The middle band, Chicago's The Narrator, I'd felt like I'd seen before, and seeing them perform confirmed this suspicion. As I watched them, I thought to myself, "yeah, I'll definitely remember these guys now." But even as I write this, a mere day later, their performance seems to be washing from my memory. Only their name, the face of one of the guitarist/vocalists, and the fact that a live haircut was performed concurrently with their set and never mentioned seem to be trapped in my sieve-like memory.



At the show, I'd had a couple drinks. When I got home and walked Racecar, my dog, he was looking at something and looked so cute, I had to take his picture. looking at the pic, I know it wasn't just the Honey Browns talking. He is an amazing animal and he's the love of my life (besides Noah).



Inspired by MySpace friend, Jason, I went to the Art Institute on Tuesday, free day with my friend Jeff. I took some pictures from a new exhibit featuring new concepts for architecture in Chicago.







As well as a picture of this guy made out of little boxes.



This is Jeff near a contemporary piece. Isn't he hot? OK, it's a blurry pic, so just trust me, he's a cute guy.



After the art institute, we went to H&M to go shopping. It was here that I bought, among other things, a new belt that was featured in the dream mentioned at the beginning of this post. On the way, we stopped in the actual water tower building. Jeff showed me this crazy room I didn't know existed. There was a quaint sign that made me laugh.



Well, the flash washed it out, but it actually says

RESTRICTED AREA THIS DOOR IS TO LOCKED AT ALL TIMES

When we tested the door, it was open. In the spirit of adventure, we went inside and snuck around. I felt like Alias.





Tuesday night I went out to see my friend Drew's band, MANDROID! I've added the exclamation mark, as I think it makes the name better.



Frankly, MANDROID! needs quite a bit of work. It was their first show. I know it's Drew's first foray into music making. That said, he was the best thing about Mandroid! He's their drummer.



As an aside, I'd add that Drew auditioned to be in my old band Farewell Society, at one time. At that time, Drew was, how shall I say this delicately? Bad. Frankly, Drew couldn't really even keep a beat very well. Going into the audition, we really wanted Drew to work because he is such a great guy (and also he had a built-in rehearsal space in his kick-ass apartment), but alas it did not. I'm very impressed with Drew's progress over the last couple years (has it been years already since the debacle of losing our first drummer? I don't feel like calculating it, as I fear it will make me feel like I'm about to turn thirty - oh yeah, I am. Soon. Hint: I'd like a new tattoo for my b-day.)