7.27.2004

i didn't get the memo.

I biked into Chicago today with the intention of going to the Art Institute. They are open until 9pm, and admission is free, every Tuesday this summer. I've wanted to go for weeks.

Only there was one problem. When I arrived at quarter to five, there was a man at the front door who informed me they were closed. Apparently, the free extended hours are on Thursdays, now.

Okay, great, so you played commercials on every major, ahem, public television station and had ads in several magazines. Only, some of us don't watch all that much TV and don't have any magazine subscriptions. So listen, if you tell me you're going to do something on a certain day all summer, is it too much to ask that you STICK TO YOUR &@$$%#$@**@@!!@!! PLAN?

Well, I learned this lesson, anyway. If I ever plan on going to the Art Institute again, I'll be checking their *^%^&$%#@@ website first. Idiots.

I decided to try to salvage the afternoon by visiting the new Millenium Park. While I was there, I find my camera has developed a little quirk. In order to actually take a picture, I have to press the shutter button down REALLY HARD. I mean I have to practically kill my finger in order for the shutter to open. Really, my finger almost developed blisters from the few pictures I took.

Then I found the new stage. There was a full orchestra there playing classical music. The lawn seating doubles as a park, well, a park with a net of speakers above it. So you had people lounging, reading, sleeping, eating, doing all sorts of park things, only to live classical music.



My bad mood was temporarily lifted. At least, it was, between convoluted attempts to try to take pictures of this utopic scene.

By the way, this is offically called "Cloud Gate," but everyone refers to it as "The Bean." One hundred years from now, it will still be known as "The Bean," and "Cloud Gate" will be a forgotten name.

Listening to: Star Trek TNG
In my sink: 1 plate tml">May 2007 · September 2007 ·
rambling south of north

7.05.2005

ring, dammit.

In the old days, you could have missed it. The phone could have rung while you were out on the back porch or running the vacuum cleaner. Now we have cell phones and answering machines and voicemail and caller id.

It still doesn't change the fact that SHE NEVER CALLED.

listening to: panic pill
in my sink: tomato sauce?

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rambling south of north

2.19.2005

i hate computers.

I was going to write more this afternoon; I really wanted to post another chapter to the story today. Instead, my computer had to break, and I spent the afternoon trying to restore it.

I was ready to call tech support, I had the phone in my hand, when I remembered I WAS tech support for an entire school and network of computers three years ago. If anyone could fix the dang computer, it should be me. Plus, I'd have a heck of a time explaining to them how and why I'd disabled the root account and CD bootup. (I can be a little security obsessive.) So what would I have done three years ago? Time to find those install/restore CDs.

To make a long story short, I had moved some files to the wrong directory, and my laptop is back. However, no more of my story has been written, and I've wasted an entire afternoon.

Tonight, I shall make up for it by trying to go to two concerts at once. You know, to make up for all that wasted time earlier. You'll find me at the Hideout watching Walter Meego AND at Subterranean for the Christopher Saathoff Benefit concert. Provided I can find the install/restore CD for that time machine...

listening to: astral projection.
in my sink: a pot, a colander, a spoon, a plate, a fork.

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rambling south of north

10.13.2004

shatner? really?

I'm still in disbelief. By now, I've read several articles showering incredulous praise over William Shatner's new album, "Has Been." They list all the great artists that have contributed: Ben Folds, Henry Rollins, Aimee Mann, Nick Hornby, and I think Joe Jackson. Not all of these are artists I particularly care for, but I'll admit they all have talent and would contribute greatly to the quality of a project such as this. Then, there's the sheer overwhelming quantity of shocked music lovers all over, expecting something like his "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" or "Rocketman," but instead saying no, this is good. They tell me they can't believe they're saying it, but it is actually good.

Well then.

I've resisted about two weeks worth of these reviews now, but one can't fight their persistence. I can't take it anymore! I'm giving in and downloading a couple songs (only to um, "review" - yeah, that's it). Oh, the shame. Oh, the humility.

I still can't bring myself to put them in my music folder. They'll sit on my desktop screen temporarily until I can decide whether to move them there or to the trash. I mean, come on. It's Shatner. Really?

listening to: um... i can't... uhh... dammit... william shatner. YEAH I SAID IT. SO?
in my sink: a coffee pot. a coffee mug. coffee.

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