Chicago MMXII

141 years ago Chicago was burning.

400 homicides and it's only Oct 9, same diff.

Was having coffee at a fast-food establishment and one young guy at the table next to me was playing a recording of himself rapping (not too well) and one of the other guys days "That's drill-hop!" And he says, "What?" And the other guy says, "That's drill-hop--you're doing it and you don't even know what it's called!" And indeed it was.

There's a young Republican phone banking center in a storefront next to where I get my hair cut and I have this overwhelming urge to do something super crass like hike up my skirt and mash my bush against the window and yell MY BOX MY CHOICE and then run away. The guy who cuts my hair said they are always outside smoking ("probably because they hate themselves so much") so I don't think they'd be able to catch me.

Red Eye says bush mash is the new flash mob. Reports of a bush mash at Chick-Fil-A at Chicago and Wabash.

I just realized I don't like the word "bush."

a.m. radio in Logan Square:
https://www.facebook.com/events/117753685042828/

Also, I noticed with the Thorndale remodel that the convenience store in the station is gone. True at Argyle and elsewhere?

I am trying out a standing desk right now. Really, it's a $150 contraption that I could probably build out of scrap lumber. However, it is also awesome and I am enjoying the absence of neck pain, as well as the freedom to bop around and dance a little bit while I work.

I would really like a convertible desk since sometimes sitting is nice but then sometimes my butt hurts.

yesterday i was giving my regular every-other-week talk at work about nonprofit funding and where it comes from, and i was at the part where i was talking about how religious organizations (churches, synagogues, etc.) receive the most charitable donations by sector, and right then a nun in a habit walked in and sat down at the table in front of me. it was distracting.

Would have been more distracting had she flashed her ... oh, I can't even say it.

...rosary beads?

if anyone knows anyone who'd be interested in editing work, there are two positions (1 copy editor, 1 managing editor) open right now at my place of employment

The doctor we go to is doing Saturday appointments.

Also, a movie is being filmed right in front of my place.

Oh and the Saturday appointments are very conveniently take. at 3000 N. Halsted.

Omg I just learned that a janitor at a daycare in my hood was accused of making children eat "boiled babies" during the satanic panic of the early/mid 80s.

The end of this week cannot come soon enough.

this is a slow-ass week

Lol.

yes, this week is terribly long. and it isn't ending any time soon. we have a big meeting first thing on monday morning in champaign, so a bunch of us from our office have to go down there for prep and a meeting all day in sunday plus prep in our office here on saturday. plus i'm working about 10 hours days every other day. so i'm really, really looking forward to the weekend, of the 20th-21st anyway.

i'm going to be in springfield on mon/tues for work

Yeh, it's been a(nother) balls-to-the-wall week for me too. Boss is out tomorrow though, so I can have some calm and straighten up my office area, which I find soothing and fun.

Dan, this URL makes me think of you http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2215653/Kitty-Cat-Buttons-Jack-Russell-think-SISTERS-rescue-centre.html.

Damn, this URL makes me love you more than I thought was even possible.

omgsisterz

Librarians: what's up with some ebooks from the library not being transferrable to devices wirelessly? I mean, I know it's because of publishers but what is their reasoning? Does it strike you as kind of dumb?

Ebook users/nerds: $12.53 will get you eight DRM-free sci-fi/spec fic ebooks, including a Neil Gaiman comic, here: http://www.humblebundle.com/.

But only for ten more days.

Three of those eight were already on my "to read" list and they all look really interesting so I'm pretty excited. Now I'm finishing this amazing 1808 Gothic horror novel called The Witch of Ravensworth, which is delightfully gory and lurid.

I downloaded a free "e-book" that turned out to be a PDF and damn girl, it's annoying as fuck to read.

PDFs are a pain in the butt to read, I agree.

The Reader's series on the murder of Dantrell Davis reminds me that I wrote a terrible mawkish poem about the incident for a creative writing class. I was 13. I think I used the phrase "urban decay."

I assume you still have this poem and are going to post it in this thread any second.

Might be at home!

violet hour to sell its own version of malort: http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/12/another-taste-of-malort-is-arriving-to-chicago/

further indication that malort has jumped the shark

yeah we need to find a new disgusting alcohol drink to rep

like natty light

ever had this?

http://thumbnail.image.rakuten.co.jp/@0_mall/sakemitsui/cabinet/sprit/spirytus-vodka.jpg

"rectified"

shit is no joke

fairly certain that I would immediately die if I even smelled that stuff

I've had it a couple of different ways, mostly flavored with either honey or chocolate. It can be alright but it will take your head off if you go too fast. There was a version that called for soaking 750ml of it with a couple pounds of plums and cutting it with water, but the recipe was all in Polish so it wasn't really obvious what else had to happen.

R and I were buying a six pack at a store just outside the city limits (can't buy spirytus in the city) and there was a little old Polish lady buying like 4 handles of the stuff in front of us in line. Made our High Life seem kind of wimpy.

What was the shot that k8 served at her wedding? That would make a reasonable Malort substitute.

iirc that was http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Becherovka

That's it. Boozy, full of strange botanicals, somewhat alarming to drink.

http://elections.chicagotribune.com/ballot/

sample ballot generator for local elections (nat'l too) -- just enter your address

Carl A., will you be providing us with the judge recommendations list again this year? Spose I could Google it too but I but my trust in you.

Does anyone have any good explanations of the referendum items?

Thanks for the link. There are an incredible number of people running unopposed on my ballot, which seems strange.

Thinking maybe I should vote for the Green Party candidate for President? I mean, if we lived in a swing state I would vote for Barry, but, as we live in the safest of all safe states for him, maybe it would be good to throw a vote to somebody progressive?

i'm voting for roseanne

This whole thing makes me feel so gross about being here at all.

― these albatrosses have no fear of man (La Lechera), Thursday, October 18, 2012 1:49 PM (3 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

otm

― D'anesh (dan m), Thursday, October 18, 2012 1:49 PM (3 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

lotsa meta beefing today makes me appreciate chilxors quite a bit

<3<3<3<3<3

likewise

Yeah man, I'll find some judge info.

I'm doing the election protection hotline again. This year I get paid by my employer and I get pro bono credits. Also presumably a t-shirt.