Chicago: More Bars in More Places

Jeezus. I submitted an online request to People's Gas on Saturday to have gas turned on at our new place, and they said it wouldn't be turned on until Wednesday, and I was like, well, that's kind of annoying but OK, I probably shouldn't have waited so long to get my act together, etc. Now we still don't have gas, so I called them up and the woman said she had no record of my account and since they would need to have access to the basement in order to get shit activated, the earliest that could happen would be NEXT WEDNESDAY. And it would have to be in the afternoon, so either I'm staying home or I'm calling my landlords to see what they can do about it. Fuck this. I don't even cook that much, but Kr does and she's been chomping at the bit for a stove/oven to use. Grrrr.

Saxaphone dude was in Zzzz, who were pretty great too, afterwords, then I think he moved to South America?

Did he join up with Chicago-based cornetist Rob Mazurek (of Chicago Underground Duo/Orchestra/etc.), who moved to Brazil a few years ago?

So who's got an oven we can use?

How about some sterno? If you get tired of cooking, you can drink it.

I don't know what that is.

That sounds like bullshit to me. In both of our apartments, the gas has already been on, but in the landlord's name. I called up, got it switched, no hassle. Unless the whole building has been vacant for years I can't imagine the gas is not already on in some form, otherwise the pipes would be freezing and shit and no-one wants that.

ok, i found a job i'm qualified for and actually want. it's nearby (about a mile, maybe 10 minute bike ride in morning traffic)and i wrote a kick ass cover letter noting how my past experience dovetails with the duties they have listed. send me good vibes, i need this.

xpost- i think my oven is broken, pilot light is on, oven never heats, 3 of 4 stove burners work so i don't know.

I'm nervous as hell waiting for Kr to read her e-mail, because the oven in her last apartment didn't work and she had a terrible time trying to get her landlord to fix it.

Praying praying praying, Kevin!!! Is this the sort of thing I should sacrifice a small dog for?

KIDDING

My oven is broken and I can't afford a new one, so I've been using a toaster oven.

I have been saving up for a new one, but guess who got a ticket for running a red light! A ticket delivered to me through the mail!

Yeah!

Me!

I'm pissed.

I called up, got it switched, no hassle.

Well, this is a new account, since I didn't have to pay for gas in my old apartment. I don't know if that makes a difference.

Ahhh. Still it seems to me like you should just be switching it out of your new landlord's name into your own, but who knows.

fingers crossed for ya, Kevin

No one in Chicago has a working oven!

I like the song over the credits of Death Proof. Apparently it is April March, and it reminds me of Sarah.

my oven works. FACT.

Don't believe you.

This is really stressing me out. I think she must be in a meeting or something.

I have a working oven. And I didn't pay for gas for 2 years because I didn't feel like it. I just used the gas that was on, and People's kept sending me messages saying "sign up for gas in your own name, plz" and I ignored them. Eventually they cut it off. But I got 2 years of free gas.

Well, it's possible I have gas and don't know it. I didn't have any way to light my pilot lights last night.

Leaf & I have a convection/toaster oven & I seriously cannot recommend them highly enough!

Do you get hot water? xpost

xpost But I also assume that the previous tenants turned off the gas before they moved out.

Yeah, plenty of hot water.

My toaster oven is small and only heats the tops of things.

Dan, are you saying that hot water = gas is on?

xp Then your gas is most likely already on, unless you have an electric water heater, which would blow my fucking miiiiiiiiind.

In my experience, the gas is not physically turned off, it just goes back to being billed to the owner of the building. Turning the gas off is counter-productive for both parties: the company would lose $, the landlord would have a big hassle to deal with if/when it got cold out.

But don't take my word for it, it's just how it seems to me.

But don't take my word for it

http://mptv.org/reading_rainbow.jpg

The toaster oven is perfect for summer cooking since you can warm/reheat small amounts of things, bake 9 cookies, etc. without heating up the whole house.

In the winter, though, I'm going to feel pretty pathetic with just my toaster oven. ;_;

Maybe I will call People's Energy back.

Here's the original of that, Jordan!

(and thanks - I like april march)

Our convection thing is a bit larger than a toaster oven & so we can actually cook, for example, a frozen pizza.

Did April March have an album cover that looked just like a Margo Guryan album cover? Jaymc, please investigate. I am proofing midterms.

I have no room for frozen pizza :(

If you turn the knob on your stove when the pilot light isn't lit, and the pilot light flickers like an electric current and goes flick-flick-flick, what does that mean?

My oven is broken and I can't afford a new one, so I've been using a toaster oven.

me too!

dan, people's energy can cut off the gas at the meter, so unless the hotwater heater is in the unit (as mine was on augusta but isn't here) john could have hot h20 but not cooking gas. that's why a lot of places on craigslist say you pay cooking gas instead of just gas.

John, you and Kr are welcome to come cook at our place.

Thanks, Sarah. Lol @ that video.

xpost

f you turn the knob on your stove when the pilot light isn't lit, and the pilot light flickers like an electric current and goes flick-flick-flick, what does that mean?

not related, that sound is the sound of the ignitors engaging. they're kind of like spark plugs for an oven, creating the initial flame to ignite the gas.

Hm, interesting. It doesn't surprise me that they'd have a sneaky way of doing it.

Here's another version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yT0qoMcpxnQ

xpost So it's not an indicator that gas is on or off?

Like in our building there are 4 gas meters in the basement and 3 water heaters. Three of the meters are for the tenants, the last one is for the basement, I think. Each apt. has it's own heater.

^the woman in that video looks eerily like my friend's wife (also a singer)

Man, I have been making the its/it's mistake a lot lately. I need a vacation.

xpost So it's not an indicator that gas is on or off?

it would indicate to me that the stove is capable of lighting gas but no gas is getting to the ignitors. whether that means the gas is turned off or there's an obstruction i couldn't tell you. i'd bet dollars to donuts that the gas is off however.

ok, i forgot to take the chicken out of the freezer so i'm going to go sell some more 7"s and go to jewel.

oh yeah, does anyone know if permanent records buys vinyl? i'm really sick of reckless.

It's a tiny thing but the phrasing of the April March version (just delaying the second line by an 8th note) totally makes it for me.

dollars to donuts.... your dollars and my donuts? i always wonder what the specifics of that wager are.