Chicago MMXII

GUYS. My birthday is Thanksgiving. I'm going to be 40. Be nice to me.

Happy early bday. You're a cutie pie.

I'll be in NC on your bday. Do you want me to do anything there in honor of it? Maybe tickle my mom?

Just... Just love your family Jesse. Love them and hold them tight.

is there a way for us to celebrate your birthday with you?

Maybe after the fact. My parents are in town for a week and we're having Thanksgiving dinner at Longman and Eagle. I'm kind of ambivalent about the whole thing aside from occasional neurotic episodes about turning the-big-four-oh.

shit like this doesn't help! Or the tendency of people to use "40 year old woman" as shorthand for someone boring and uncool. (Someone said to me the other day that salsa dancing is for college kids and 40-year old women, which 1) what's wrong with salsa dancing?* and 2) fuck you!)

*Of course I'd say that, being less than a week away from being a 40-year-old woman.

Ha turning 40 means unapologetically putting ice in my wine and saying to hell with consistent hyphenation!

Oh booberry, it pains me to see you so uncharacteristically affected by this bday. Your reaction is totally valid and all that, I just normally think of you as someone who deals w/ age and such w/ equanimity & a fuck the haters attitude. Because that's the case, I just want to tell you to think about what carl agatha who was not turning 40 would tell another woman who was not looking forward to turning 40 and I'm certain her counsel would be 1000% OTM. Plus, to the extent that 40 means anything at all, you're going to be a cool 40 b/c of who you are and your experiences and b/c you will make it so.

People regularly ordered those Over The Hill things when I was a florist. Enough so that I just remembered that "OTH" was a common abbreviation.

Another thing was dead-flower arrangements (wilted flowers, roses painted black) w/ OTH mylar balloons, and a couple half-floating black balloons. Gosh, people at the office really got a ~kick~ out of those!!! lololak;ds;lajds barf

je55e otm

also (Someone said to me the other day that salsa dancing is for college kids and 40-year old women, which 1) what's wrong with salsa dancing?* and 2) fuck you!)

whoever said that can eat a huge culturally insensitive piece of shit

also i can't believe your parents will be here for a whole week
mine have visited for a grand total of 2.5 days in as many years

Carl if all the 40 year old people were as cool as you the world would be a 1000% better place.

being 40 isn't going to transport you to a field of GREAT GRAINS cereal or into a vat of yogurt and don't let anyone tell you it will

o man I love Great Grains cereal -- haven't had it in years!

look how freaking happy these great grains eaters are
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyhqAlfKG4o

This is a very long parent visit, but it gets us out if Christmas traveling so I'm good with it.

Cinnamon Life 4eva.

Also thanks. Y'all are great. :)

My take re why people seem to get lamer w/ age:
- age brings about certain changes, including reduced energy, as well as increased experience, knowledge, and (accompanying) confidence;

- humans of any age can be pretty self-satisfied and boring, and we seek the path of least resistance;

- a person who is self-satisfied and boring and who seeks the path of least resistance will react to reduced energy and increased experience/confidence by forgoing the effort it takes to be curious and open to changes, both internal and external.

As kids, we learn that Adulthood is a destination, and grown-ups know what's what, and that notion can get carried into adulthood. A person can start to feel like they've reached their destination and they can finally be done with the chores of growing and learning. Scoring experience and wisdom can affirm a person's resistance to using their waning energy to keep growing, which can create a feedback loop that spins them to lameness (stagnation, stodginess, complacence, Republicanism, incuriosity, corniness, intolerance, inflexibility, etc.)

I get more awesome every year. Watch out when I'm 80.

young people suck. old people suck. if we kill off both young and old alike the world will be a better place.

As kids, we learn that Adulthood is a destination, and grown-ups know what's what, and that notion can get carried into adulthood. A person can start to feel like they've reached their destination and they can finally be done with the chores of growing and learning. Scoring experience and wisdom can affirm a person's resistance to using their waning energy to keep growing, which can create a feedback loop that spins them to lameness (stagnation, stodginess, complacence, Republicanism, incuriosity, corniness, intolerance, inflexibility, etc.)

That is really insightful!

Thanks. I had been thinking two things about that post: 1. that I should have added that I think you're probably one of the people who will put forth the effort to not suck and 2. was that an obnoxious, early-L-Jagger-like post?

it able to be comprehended by a non-britisher, so no

it's.

So a guy was stabbed in the head at Mich & Delaware at the lights parade.

holy shit, what?

I think I will not drink today.

well now they're saying that he was stabbed in the neck, but on local news last night they said he was stabbed in the head. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-1-injured-in-attack-outside-north-michigan-avenue-hotel-20121117,0,4467911.story

Attempted robbery inside the Westin, which is sort of surprising.

Oh wow, a FB friend reported that Henry Rollins was eating at Essence of India in Lincoln Sq. last night.

He did a show at Old Town School, iirc.

You guys: 500 Clown Frankenstein was just fantastic. Neo-Futuristy, physical, funny, physically frightening, and just great.

If I hadn't just seen their last show, I'd go to every one I could. Check it out http://chicagotheaterbeat.com/2012/11/10/review-500-clown-frankenstein-500-clown-theatre/

I think I will not drink today.

It was nice to see you guys at FOBAB last night. I too think I will be refraining from drinking for a few days. Some amazing stuff there last night though.

Agree. Glad it's only once a year though. I don't think I could handle that very oftne.

There is a very slight chance that I'm still hungover from FOBAB. Though it might just be the shitty sleep I got last night.

what on earth did you guys do on saturday?! what's a fobab?

It was the Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beer. Four hours of sampling some incredible craft brews.

happy bday in advance, jenny. you are cool.

Thanks, bro. You're one of my favorites.

i'm reading "american pharoah," a biography of richard j. daley, and i would like to recommend it to those of you not just interested in daley but in chicago history in general. lots of fascinating stuff in there about attempts to integrate public housing, the black democratic political submachine, etc. etc. i'm learning a lot.

i gave that to my dad for xmas a few years ago! i wonder if he read it. last time i asked if he read it, he launched into a 15 min speech about the power of the daleys but he never answered my question: DID YOU READ IT Y/N

I have that book and it is very good.

is anyone interested in seeing "the comedy" with me next week? it's only playing at facets this weekend (when i won't be here) and mon., weds., and thurs. next week. it's supposed to be good and dark.

I could prob. do Wed. or Thurs. -- I'm interested in seeing it.

cool. i don't know if that's a thing where you need to buy tickets in advance? anyways my schedule is open next week so weds or thurs is fine.

i've never been to "facets cinematheque"

I actually never have, either. I once poked my head in the video store (do they even still have a video store?) something like 12 years ago.

i've been to facets many times! multiple times at least, for various reasons.

A friend of chicago k3vin worked there iirc.

btw guys I hope you're ready for some trivia soon, b/c my term with the soccer fanatics is coming to an end very soon & I will have a non-futbol social life again!