tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64225029288628763832024-03-07T12:24:43.582-06:00Chicago RandomnessRandom notes, thoughts, reviews on life in the Greater Chicago area, as well as various media.Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17758051038511331313noreply@blogger.comBlogger101125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6422502928862876383.post-79991627316321248132011-10-14T16:03:00.000-06:002011-10-14T16:03:17.303-06:00On Being a "Regular"I work a block from a Starbucks (these days who doesn't?). This is great news for the world's coffee growers, but bad news for my family's economy. Let's just say I'm in this Starbucks more than I should be. It's not at all stretching it to say I'm a "regular". My wife and I even went in on our wedding day, in our wedding clothes, between the ceremony and the reception (yes, this was partially a cheap ploy to get free coffee - it worked).<br />
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Normally I have a great experience in there, but today they screwed up.<br />
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I learned a few years ago that if you are going to be a regular at Starbucks, it makes good sense financially to pay with a Starbucks card (Not a credit card, but a gift card you load and reload yourself and use to pay with). If you use a card that you have registered online, you're not charged for flavored syrups in your drinks, and you get free refills on brewed coffee in the store. You also regularly earn free drinks. You can also pretend that it really is a gift card that someone has given you, and then you can feel artificially special every time you pay. The Starbucks card app for IPhone makes this even easier. You can reload your card from your phone, check your balance, and even pay by having them scan your phone. If you pay this way, you will often arouse the curiosity of people in line behind you who still use terribly outdated green slips of paper to barter for goods and services. (The ones who don't express their curiosity are silently judging you for your pretentiousness).<br />
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So today I went in to get a coffee and a scone, and the barista who took my order and rang me up has worked there for years and knows me and is one of the only ones who likes to try and anticipate my order (I'm not real consistent). When I went to pay, he scanned my phone but something went wrong and he had to try again. After the second scan, which went through, I glanced at the register and noticed the total seemed kind of steep for what I ordered. I asked about it and he determined that the first time the scanner had actually scanned a packaged cookie near the register and added it to my order. He easily refunded my card for the price of the cookie. When he handed me the scone I got a quick glance in the bag before the top closed and I thought something didn't look right. So as I was walking away I opened it up and found a blueberry scone, instead of the pumpkin scone I had ordered. By that time he was already helping another customer and so I asked another barista to make the swap for me. As I started walking out, the original barista yelled after me and handed me one of their free drink coupons to make up for my troubles.<br />
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This should just be a simple story of "business screws up, business makes it up to customer", so I was a bit surprised when I found myself more offended than appeased by this. First, I didn't need to be appeased - at no point in my dealings there today did I convey that I was upset, annoyed, or put out by the experience, because I wasn't. I've been helped by this barista many, many times and I know for a fact that he is competent, friendly, and extremely conscientious. So in one transaction out of 50 he made a couple mistakes, which were quickly rectified. I like to think that I have a relationship with this particular Starbucks and it's employees - a relationship that goes beyond trying to make me happy with one transaction so that I might come back again. In an ongoing business/customer relationship, you don't get worked up about petty things, you forgive. On the flip side of that, this is the kind of relationship where if I ordered a drink and realized i forgot my wallet, they would trust me to take care of it later. One time I got my coffee, got to my office and immediately spilled it all. I headed back over to get a replacement and explained what happened since they were curious why I was back so soon, and they wouldn't let me pay for the replacement. That's the give and take of being in an ongoing relationship with a business. There's kind of an unspoken pledge - if I want to be the kind of regular that gets treated like a friend rather than just a customer, I promise to not act like an impatient idiot when they're a little backed up and my drink is taking longer than normal; I promise not to get bent out of shape if occasionally they mess up my order or my drink just isn't quite right. So today I was just keeping up my end of the relationship, and I got handed a "please don't get mad at us" card that should be reserved for people who might get bent out of shape over one less than perfect experience. They sold me short, and it felt a little demeaning.<br />
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Now, having said that, don't misread my intention. This blog post is not at all about "how could they?", but more about "wow, I just got handed a coupon for a free drink and it kind of hurt my feelings - why is that?". Just like I wasn't going to hold it against anyone that I was overcharged or got the wrong scone (#firstworldproblems), I have no intention of holding a free drink coupon against anyone. Every human being screws up in their relationships. How often do we inadvertently treat our spouses or our children as business partners or employees rather than loved ones? I don't even feel like I had misread my status at this Starbucks and was put in my place; The employee simply misread my needs at this point in our relationship, but I think we'll manage to work through it without seeking professional counseling.Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17758051038511331313noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6422502928862876383.post-6562647571355475482011-10-03T09:09:00.001-06:002011-10-03T09:15:40.185-06:00In Bluth We TrustIn these harsh and depressing economic and political times, Americans look for some place to rest their dreams of a brighter future, and apparently we've chosen....<a data-mce-href="http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/Arrested_Development/70140358?trkid=2361637" href="http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/Arrested_Development/70140358?trkid=2361637">Arrested Development</a>. For the past few years the cast and crew seem to have been under some sort of "play with the public's emotions" pact in which anytime they were asked in an interview, t<a data-mce-href="http://collider.com/entertainment/interviews/article.asp?aid=9816&tcid=1" href="http://collider.com/entertainment/interviews/article.asp?aid=9816&tcid=1">hey would say just enough to help you believe the show would get revived as a feature film</a>. Yesterday, at an Arrested Development reunion at the New Yorker Festival, the cast and creators took a bold new step in making promises they may or may not be able to keep. If the many many headlines, Facebook statuses, and tweets are to be believed, not just a movie, but a new run of TV episodes are as good as done. Call me a pessimist, or just call me someone who's actually taken the time to read<a data-mce-href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/02/arrested-development-back-new-episodes-movie_n_991404.html" href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/02/arrested-development-back-new-episodes-movie_n_991404.html"> what was actually said at this Festival appearance</a>, but I don't believe the supposed AD second coming is a sound place to invest my hopes for the future entertainment of myself, my children, and generations to come.<br />
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Before you start accusing me of not being a true believer, of not being a true AD fan, let me state that I am still one of the only people I've ever met that watched the show when it aired - from episode one, to the end. I did not just jump on the hipster 'watch it on DVD/IFC years later' bandwagon. I was there from the start, watching it in whatever out-of-order/ different time slot every week capacity Fox forced us into. I was already watching everything else Fox was offering on Sunday nights (<a data-mce-href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0322660/" href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0322660/">Oliver Beene</a> anyone?), so it was natural for me to check out the new kid on the block. I liked it and I stuck with it until the end, and have spent the years since nodding knowingly as the rest of the world caught up with the Bluths. So don't tell me I don't really love AD - while the rest of you were watching NFL on Fox then turning off the TV to fall into a drunken nacho & buffalo wing induced stupor, I was waiting patiently for the game to end so I could stay up until 11:30 getting my fix of Fox's too often pre-empted Sunday night line-up. So yes, I'm a long-time fan, and I'm even hesitantly excited about the prospect of a movie and more TV episodes, but at the same time I'm old enough to know that some things are best appreciated for what they were, and not everything we love needs to be revived or go on indefinitely, as often longevity or revival can cast a shadow on something we once loved (The Simpsons anyone?).<br />
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So what are the real "facts" pertaining to the Arrested Development revival?<br />
Fact #1 - The cast and creators are creatively on board. This is a long time coming and admittedly should not be downplayed. If you want to get something like this off the ground, obviously you need buy in from all those who should be involved. Any future AD projects would be sorely lacking without any one of the main cast. Except maybe....<br />
Fact #2 - It could be really hard to see Michael Cera as George Michael now, and not just that Michael Cera character he's played in 50 movies since AD. I only recently started rewatching AD (Netflix Streaming) and have been asking myself the question - did AD create Michael Cera's trademark persona, or was it already a reflection of who young Michael Cera was? It doesn't really matter I suppose, but I don't think I can believe in George Michael anymore - there's just Michael Cera being Michael Cera.<br />
Fact #3 - The cast being on board can be both a help and a hindrance to making this happen. Will Arnett is on <a data-mce-href="http://www.nbc.com/up-all-night/" href="http://www.nbc.com/up-all-night/">another show</a> that could very possibly get picked up for a full season and beyond. Jason Bateman and Michael Cera have launched significant film careers since the show ended and certainly require much larger paychecks than they once did. Their star power can make the project attractive to the studios, but it can also make it financially difficult.<br />
Fact #3 - Creator Mitch Hurwitz has clearly said, even yesterday at the New Yorker Festival, that there are still a lot of stumbling blocks to overcome to get this made. No studio has announced backing of this project or plans to distribute it. Show me where the money is coming from, give me a website or a teaser trailer, and I'll become considerably less skeptical. In the meantime, I'll believe it's going to happen because the the cast and creators want it to like I believe my 7 year old daughter when she says she's going to save up enough money to buy herself a <a href="http://www.nintendo.com/3ds">3DS</a>.<br />
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So while the rest of America seems ready to will this project into existence by ignoring the disclaimers and pretending that it's all green lights from here, I remain here sipping coffee from my Bluth Company mug, cautiously optimistic, but ultimately content to leave it as it is - a pretty perfect show that given the circumstances we're pretty lucky we even got three seasons of.Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17758051038511331313noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6422502928862876383.post-24673968879580270862009-04-27T20:10:00.005-06:002009-04-27T20:34:32.095-06:00A listI thought a list might be a nice way to ease myself back into a bit of blogging after a long dry spell. It's that or I just start posting all the 1/2 written drafts I have saved...<br /><br />Things I'm Currently Midly (or more) Addicted To:<br /><br />1. Coffee<br /><br />2. Starbucks Toffee Almond Bars (it's always nice when two or more addictions can feed each other)<br /><br />3. <a href="http://www.decemberists.com/music.aspx">The Decemberists "Hazards of Love"</a> I have a tendency to put one CD in my car and listen to it over and over and over...this is currently it. An album I expected to hate, but was so so wrong.<br /><br />4. <a href="http://ds.ign.com/articles/921/921522p5.html">Picross DS </a>- a little like Sudoku, but you get rewarded with a picture<br /><br />5. <a href="http://www.dlea.com.au/?Products/Product_Range/Liquorice/Strawberry_Soft_Eating_Liquorice">Darrell Lea Soft Strawberry Licorice</a> (found at World Market)- I thought I'd be sick of this by now. Nope. My favorite candy of the moment by far. The raspberry is no slouch either...<br /><br />6. <a href="http://www.brotherskcoffee.com/">Brothers K</a> Vanilla Lattes. <a href="http://www.metropoliscoffee.com/">Metropolis</a> and <a href="http://www.intelligentsiacoffee.com/">Intelligentsia</a> get all the attention, and are both fine coffee purveyors in their own right (and Brothers K uses Metropolis beans), but no one makes a better vanilla latte than Brothers K. Not to mention having nicest baristas ever and being walking distance from my apartment.<br /><br />7. <a href="http://www.fox.com/dollhouse/">Dollhouse</a> - It started shaky but has turned around into an incredibly compelling and nuanced show with an emotional center....much like other great <a href="http://whedonesque.com/">Joss Whedon </a>shows. It's so good Fox will surely cancel it.<br /><br />8. <a href="http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/c/catanxboxlivearcade/">Catan on Xbox Live </a>- A console version of the hipster board game. E & A can take all the blame for getting me hooked on this.<br /><br />9. <a href="http://twitter.com/KoffeeGuy">Twitter</a> - I'm still a Facebook junkie and unashamed of it, but Twitter is compelling for completely different reasons. It took me awhile to "get it", but I think the moment it clicked for me was when <a href="http://www.dresdendolls.com/main1.htm">Amanda Palmer </a>was requesting people tweet her questions because she was bored on the tour bus.<br /><br />10. <a href="http://www.nbc.com/30_Rock/">30 Rock </a>- I was slow getting to this one, and I have to admit its been incredibly uneven, but I still find myself referencing it way more than could possibly be cool.Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17758051038511331313noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6422502928862876383.post-8341037001185536682009-01-07T07:53:00.003-06:002009-01-07T08:03:45.462-06:0012 Channels and Nothing On - Resolution Update<a href="http://chicagorandomness.blogspot.com/2008/12/new-years-resolution-3.html">This past Saturday a strange man came to my home and took away my cable (and digital phone)</a>. Well, most of it at least. For some strange reason the total cost of my internet is cheaper if I have basic cable than if I don't. When Comcast gets in line for their Federal bailout, I may have to balk a little.<br /><br />Do I miss it? Eh...a little. When I come home tonight after class and can't watch Top Chef, I will definitely miss it, but other than that, it's not really a big deal. When I heard how much cheaper my Comcast bill was going to be, I knew it was going to be pretty easy to get over it.<br /><br />So out of 5 New Year's resolutions - <a href="http://chicagorandomness.blogspot.com/2008/12/new-years-resolutions-1.html">1 was a joke</a>, <a href="http://chicagorandomness.blogspot.com/2008/12/new-years-resolution-3.html">1 is complete</a>, <a href="http://chicagorandomness.blogspot.com/2008/12/new-years-resolution-2.html">1 haven't had a whole lot of opportunity to do anything with, but consider myself on track</a>, and 2 are left.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/5scpDev1qps&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/5scpDev1qps&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17758051038511331313noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6422502928862876383.post-5169570265812948662008-12-29T23:59:00.002-06:002008-12-30T00:03:19.712-06:00New Year's Resolution #5I will go see/hear the Chicago Symphony Orchestra<br /><br />I'm ashamed to admit I've lived in this city for 15 years minus 3 and I've never been to see and hear the CSO. I've been to Symphony Center once, to see Mavis Staples (doing a tribute to Mahalia Jackson, many years ago), and I've heard the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra on a number of occasions, but never the CSO. Now that I've been to Second City and taken classes at the Old Town School of Folk Music, this is #1 on my list of things I will hate myself for not having done if I leave Chicago.Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17758051038511331313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6422502928862876383.post-54562868258045665592008-12-25T08:15:00.007-06:002008-12-25T23:10:16.617-06:00A Very Burton Christmas7:45am - My alarm goes off. My alarm being my bladder. Linnea doesn't come until 9am, but there's no going back to sleep now. I check the kitchen and am disappointed to find that Santa did not do the dishes as I had hoped. I grab a jacket (the kitchen has no heat) and dig in.<br /><br /><br /><br />I contemplate throwing a Christmas CD in the boom box that's in there, but turn on the radio instead. I am treated to the very pleasant sound of David Sedaris reading from his hilarious Christmas book "Holidays on Ice". It's going to be a good day.<br /><br /><br /><br />A few minutes later David is cut off. This is just Weekend Edition playing an excerpt. The news kicks in soon and I'm reminded of Simon and Garfunkel's "7 O'Clock News/Silent Night". I turn to XRT in hopes they're playing Christmas music, and am treated to INXS instead.<br /><br />After making a dent in the dishes I move on to tidying up the living room in preparation for its imminent demolishing. I remember a year past when VH1 Classic showed Christmas videos all Christmas day and look for this. They're showing a Kiss concert. I turn to TBS' day long A Christmas Story airing and find it at my favorite scene - the department store Santa. I just love that kid in the aviator outfit in front of Ralphie in line. I love Ralphie's awkwardness and wanting nothing to do with her (him?).<br /><br /><br /><br />8:55am - Linnea arrives. I manage to convince her to take her coat off before she starts opening presents.<br /><br /><br />9:15am - All presents have been opened. She is pleased.<br /><br /><br /><br />9:20am - I am helping her open her new doctor dress-up/playset. A strange look comes over her face. I ask if she's okay. She says "I just can't deal with all this stuff" then immediately says "just joking". This is troubling. I've never seen her get visibily stressed out like that before. I've been fairly relaxed all morning and I don't think she's picking it up from me. Divorced holidays are stressful on kids, I remember all too well my own experiences. I'm just as troubled though by the "just joking" comment - if that's really the way she was feeling I don't want her to feel that she has to mask it. She moves on pretty quickly though and makes a very cute doctor.<br /><br /><br />10am - Linnea ate at her mom's but I'm getting hungry. I make eggs, which for the first time I can remember, come out perfect. The coffee is perfect too. Merry Christmas to me.<br /><br />11am - Linnea wants to play her new Winnie the Pooh Uno game. It's pretty easy and she mostly gets it, but she doesn't want to give up all of her cards, which is of course the idea of the game. I win the first round and she's pouty. Given the option to just goof around with the cards on her own terms she chooses to play another round, which she wins, mostly fair and square.<br /><br />11:20am - The Lego pirate play set gets opened. This is her first "big kid" Lego set - normal sized pieces with directions so you can make it look like the things on the box. She does amazingly well with it. We put together a few of the items based on the directions and she is patient and helpful. She then decides she wants to put the ship together however she wants, so I let her and she makes a decent little raft.<br /><br />1pm - Tomato soup and a sandwich for lunch. She wants to watch her new Scooby Doo video.<br /><br />3pm - My mom, stepdad and Grandmother call. Linnea doesn't want to stay on the phone for more than a second and doesn't really want to let me talk. I juggle this for awhile until Linnea spills M&Ms all over the floor and I take my leave of the call.<br /><br />3:10pm - M&Ms cleaned up. Linnea is doing her new computer software. I play some Rock Band on-line battles. I find there's no better day than Christmas to up my rankings....people get it for Christmas, decide they're ready to play expert right out of the box, and I get to squash them. It's the little traditions that make the holidays special.<br /><br />4:00pm - Linnea wants to watch the other video she got today - Curious George movie. That movie is the only context in which I can stomach Jack Johnson music. I'm all tuckered out and try and doze on the couch while she watches the movie and squirms all over me.<br /><br />5:30pm - Chinese food has been ordered from <a href="http://www.koievanston.com/">Koi</a>. Linnea is on her second viewing of the Scooby Doo DVD. Normally I wouldn't let her watch so much TV, but it's Christmas. Heck, I'm still in my pajamas.<br /><br /><br />6pm - Chinese food arrives. I ordered a couple of sushi rolls in addition to fried rice and crispy duck. The sushi is horrible - very little fish buried in enormous amounts of rice. I will never order sushi from there again. The fried rice and duck are good though.<br /><br /><br />8pm - Against much resistance I start moving Linnea towards bed. We finished reading Stuart Little last week (the first long-form book she's had read to her) and she wants to start it again. I all of sudden remember I had intended to get her a new similar type of book for Christmas. Whoops. We start it over and I make a mental note to pick up something this weekend. Charlotte's Web maybe?<br /><br /><br />8:30 - Linnea is in bed and seems ready to sleep. I'm a little lost as to what to do with myself.Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17758051038511331313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6422502928862876383.post-71151447897963356102008-12-23T19:12:00.003-06:002008-12-23T20:08:07.437-06:00Christmas Music Round-UpWith the majority of my Christmas CDs still MIA, and likely never to be found, I've had to go searching for some new entries to bulk up the collection. In the process I've found some really, really good, and some really, really bad.<br /><br />I was thinking today about who I really wish would put out a Christmas album. At the top of my list for some reason is <a href="http://www.alisonkrauss.com/site.php">Alison Krauss</a>, so I went looking to see if she had anything out there. I found 2 tracks from compilations - "Shimmy Down the Chimney" and "Only You Can Bring Me Cheer". They were both utterly horrible. I removed them from my IPod and will be happy never to hear them again. The first sounds like it was produced completely on a Casio keyboard, and not a good one. The second is all Nashville and no bluegrass. I know she could do better; much better.<br /><br />Others on my list of people I'd like to hear Christmas albums from? <a href="http://www.ninasimone.com/">Nina Simone</a>, though that will now never happen. <a href="http://www.ronsexsmith.com/">Ron Sexsmith </a>has a couple wonderful original Christmas songs out there already - warm and sentimental in a good way, without being the least bit sappy or cloying, and could probably put together a wonderful mix of covers and originals with his soulful melancholy vibe. <a href="http://www.decemberists.com/">The Decemberists </a>have already covered one of my all-time favorite Christmas songs - Please Daddy Don't Get Drunk This Christmas - but I'm sure they could provide a few more Christmasy tales of sailors, gypsies, and doomed lovers.<br /><br />Browsing ITunes' Christmas section I was intrigued by a new Killers single called "Joseph, Better You Than Me". Even though I can't stand their current single with the idiotic name I can't remember, and I did note that this track features Neil Tenant (Pet Shop Boys) and Elton John, I bought it anyway. Bad move. It went straight to the recycle bin with the Alison Krauss tracks. $3 poorly, poorly spent today.<br /><br />My other ITunes purchase of the day was Weezer's Christmas EP. All "traditional" Christmas songs, and all pretty straightforward Weezerish renditions. I'm a moderate Weezer fan, and this one gets to stay on my IPod, but it didn't particularly excite me. It actually reminds me not a little of Manheim Steamroller.<br /><br />There is a good bit of free indie Christmas music out there to be had, and I spent a good portion of my day listening to it. <a href="http://www.asthmatickitty.com/">Sufjan Stevens </a>makes a Christmas EP for his friends every year, 5 excellent volumes of which were compiled and released a few years ago. The general, non-friend-of-Sufjan public has to settle for one new track this year, found on the totally free <a href="http://www.soundsfamilyre.com/blog/">Sounds Familyre Compilation "A Familyre Christmas Vol. 2"</a>. There's some interesting stuff here, from a mix of familiar and unfamiliar bands (to me), but not much will be making my regular Christmas rotation. <a href="http://www.myspace.com/danielson">Danielson</a> was already near the top of my "wish they would put out a Christmas CD" list, and after hearing their track here, I'm even more convinced. The Half-Handed Cloud and Soul-Junk tracks are also worth a few listens. Last year's compilation is also available for free download at the same link, and is a bit less challenging than this year's.<br /><br />Also free to <a href="http://www.emusic.com/">e-music </a>subscribers (does not count against your available downloads), or a mere $1.99 on Itunes, is the considerably more mainstream Redeye 2008 Holiday Sampler. Ron Sexsmith contributes a stellar track alongside other great stuff from the likes of Over The Rhine, Supersuckers, Elk City, and Apples in Stereo. Lisa Loeb contributes a very pedestrian Jingle Bells, which I was disappointed to hear as she's one of my huge guilty pleasures. I'd still pay $1.99 for the whole album in a heartbeat.<br /><br />My two most pleasant surprises for the year were the new Raveonettes EP "Wishing You A Rave Christmas" (4 songs. Avaiable on E-Music or for $3.96 on ITunes) and the indie classic from Low, "Christmas" (8 tracks, available on E-Music or for $7.92 on Itunes). I had not previously heard much from the Raveonettes am very interested after hearing this. One cover (Christmas Baby Please Come Home) and 3 mellow but heavily 60's influenced originals; alternately fuzzy and shimmering, and all lovely. <a href="http://www.myspace.com/theraveonettes">It's all streaming free at their MySpace page</a>. The <a href="http://www.chairkickers.com/">Low</a> album shares a similar aesthetic while being considerably more lo-fi. Both albums are more pretty than depressing, but neither will have you rockin' around the Christmas tree.<br /><br />That's about it for new finds. As to what I'm missing most from my Christmas CD collection - Bruce Cockburn's "Christmas", Aimee Mann's "Another Drifter in the Snow" (I do hold out some hope of turning this one up), a Louis Armstrong Christmas CD, and a Mahalia Jackson Christmas CD. If they don't turn up this year, I'll have to start looking into replacements.Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17758051038511331313noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6422502928862876383.post-63713084249593505002008-12-22T22:30:00.003-06:002008-12-22T22:36:22.235-06:00New Year's Resolution #4I will go to the dentist<br /><br />There's a Simpsons' scene where Lisa asks the saxophonist Bleeding Gums Murphy how he got his name. He asks Lisa "You ever been to the dentist?". She replies, "Yes". He says, "I haven't".<br /><br />While I've certainly been to the dentist before in my life, it's been a long time. Years. Many. It's a catch-22 for me really. While I can certainly scrape up the funds for a check-up and cleaning, I have a fear that it's not going to end there - that I'm going to be told I need more painful and painfully expensive work. So I don't go because I don't want to face this reality. But the longer I don't go, probably the more I'm going to need and the more expensive it's going to be. So the problem just perpetuates itself.<br /><br />But this is the year, I promise, I'm going, and more sooner than later.Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17758051038511331313noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6422502928862876383.post-75172973147802637062008-12-21T22:21:00.002-06:002008-12-21T22:30:24.511-06:00New Year's Resolution #3I will get rid of my cable<br /><br />I've been promising myself I would do this for the last year or so. With the newfound ability to stream <a href="www.hulu.com">Hulu</a> and <a href="www.netflix.com">Netflix</a> to my TV, and the financial crunch being what it is, the time has come. No, I don't have any grand aspirations about watching less, reading more, getting out, etc...If I can't do all those things with cable, I'm not going to be drawn to them without it. If it's mindless entertainment I'm after, I'm sure to find it elsewhere. The reality is though that I'm not a major junkie. I rarely turn it on just to see what's on, but rather watch with intention. That's not to say I'm watching Nova or C-Span or anything.<br /><br />So my plan is to keep it through the holidays then find some rabbit ears and one of those digital convertor boxes for the impending elimination of analog broadcasts, and make the call.Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17758051038511331313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6422502928862876383.post-45827568106941060442008-12-20T21:56:00.002-06:002008-12-20T21:59:03.075-06:00New Year's Resolution #2#2 - I will stop drinking soda in front of my daughter.<br /><br />This has been such an area of hypocrisy for me. Whenever we go out to eat, I get soda and make her get milk or juice and then listen to her beg for sips of my soda. If it's not good for her, it's not good for me. I don't have it in the house, I shouldn't have it out of the house either. I haven't figured out what I will drink in its place. Water I suppose.Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17758051038511331313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6422502928862876383.post-54297677093094330562008-12-19T19:47:00.003-06:002008-12-19T19:49:23.908-06:00New Year's Resolutions - #1Resolution #1 - I will blog about my New Year's Resolutions<br /><br />It's nice to set myself up with a nice easy resolution I can knock out right away. Now I have some momentum and confidence to move on to the rest...Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17758051038511331313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6422502928862876383.post-7068081650101839922008-12-03T22:42:00.004-06:002008-12-03T23:26:06.934-06:00At Long Last, A New Mix CDAs I sat down to make this mix CD I remembered the main reason it had been so long since I made one - ITunes isn't compatible with Vista & my burner. I had found one registry fix that worked but was annoying and had to constantly be repeated, but even that doesn't seem to work for me anymore. It's a known issue shared by many, but I'm guessing patching their products to work with Windows isn't a big priority for Apple. So anyway, this took a lot of jockeying of files around, but here it is:<br /><br />"Deck It Out In Fairy Lights - The Best of 2008"<br /><br />1. <a href="http://www.myspace.com/fleetfoxes">White Winter Hymnal - Fleet Foxes</a><br /> Easily one of my favorite songs of the year. I was actually upset when the radio here picked it up. I wanted to keep it all to myself.<br /><br />2. <a href="http://www.myspace.com/matesofstate">Get Better - Mates of State</a><br /> "Everything's going to get lighter, even if it never gets better". I have no idea what that means, but they made it stick in my head for a really long time.<br /><br />3. <a href="http://www.myspace.com/silverjews">Suffering Jukebox - Silver Jews</a><br /> I don't know how anyone could ever be surly listening to the Silver Jews.<br /><br />4. Heart of Stone - <a href="http://www.chrisknight.net/">Chris Knight</a><br /> The only song to make me cry in 2008. Kind of cheezy, but, yeah...<br /><br />5. <a href="http://www.myspace.com/sheandhim">Why Do You Let Me Stay Here? - She & Him</a><br /> She & Him is actress Zooey Deschanel (Elf & Almost Famous) and singer M. Ward. Zooey handles 95% of the vocals and wrote most of the songs. Sunny, soulful, a throwback to another time without being derivative. The concert I most regret missing this year.<br /><br />6. Don't Tell Me To Do The Math(s) - <a href="http://www.loscampesinos.com/">Los Campesinos!</a><br /> I haven't decided if this was my favorite album of 2008, but I know I listened to it more than any other. Amazingly they just released their second full length record this year, and it's almost as good.<br /><br />7. Good Times - <a href="http://www.colinmeloy.com/">Colin Meloy</a><br /> He's no Sam Cooke, but he could still put out an EP of him singing the telephone book and I'd buy it and like it.<br /><br />8. <a href="http://www.myspace.com/thebaseballproject">Past Time - The Baseball Project</a><br /> Combining 2 of my favorite things, <a href="http://www.cubs.com">baseball</a> and <a href="http://www.minus5.com/">Scott McCaughey</a>. This had the look of a novelty album, but turned out to be a superb everyday use type of album.<br /><br />9. <a href="http://www.everythingthathappens.com/">Home - David Byrne & Brian Eno</a><br /> I've never understood why I don't listen to more David Byrne.<br /><br />10. <a href="http://www.myspace.com/chrismillsmusic">Living In The Aftermath - Chris Mills</a><br /> This guy is sadly underappreciated. This album came out pretty much under the radar this year, but is an alt-pop masterpiece.<br /><br />11. <a href="http://disneymusic.disney.go.com/albums/tmbg123s.html">Ooh La Ooh La - They Might Be Giants</a><br /> On their third "kids" record, Here Come The 1,2,3s, TMBG have created a classic. It's all my daughter wants to listen to and it's yet to wear on me. They make good music first, and market it to kids later.<br /><br />12. <a href="http://www.myspace.com/drivebytruckers">The Righteous Path - Drive-By Truckers</a><br /> This overly long album didn't do much for me this year, but there are a few songs that stick out, and this is definitely the brightest.<br /><br />13. <a href="http://www.myspace.com/frightenedrabbit">The Twist - Frightened Rabbit</a><br /> Apparently I'm into Scottish indie-emo-alt-whatever. Last year it was <a href="http://www.myspace.com/thetwilightsad">The Twilight Sad</a>, and this year Frightened Rabbit. As far as I'm concerned Scotland can keep it coming.<br /><br />14. Joke About Jamaica - <a href="http://www.myspace.com/theholdsteady">The Hold Steady</a><br /> Much like the new Drive-By Truckers, this was the first Hold Steady album to really disappoint me. They experimented a bit too much and it was lyrically disappointing. This song is hard not to like though.<br /><br />15. <a href="http://www.myspace.com/nickcaveandthebadseeds">We Call On The Author - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds</a><br /> By far the hardest/grittiest album I bought this year. I think Nick Cave could sing the phone book too and make it sound important.<br /><br />16. <a href="http://www.old97s.com/music/discography/cd/OLD_albumBlameItOnGravity.aspx">No Baby I - Old 97's</a><br /> Rhett Miller has got to be get near to his God-given limit of incredibly good pop-rock songs.<br /><br />17. <a href="http://www.myspace.com/loscampesinos">My Year in Lists - Los Campesinos!</a><br /> Really hard to pick a favorite song from this album, but I think I listened to this one more than any.<br /><br />18. <a href="http://www.myspace.com/marchingband">Make No Plans - Marching Band</a><br /> Rookies of the year? I liked this album alot, but expect that the best is yet to come.<br /><br />19. Jigsaw - <a href="http://www.myspace.com/matesofstate">Mates of State</a><br /> "You write the good songs baby...". Yes, she does.<br /><br />20. We'll Get By - <a href="http://www.garylourismusic.com/">Gary Louris</a><br /> Probably my number one musical disappointment this year. Can be appreciated in a certain mood, but not often. This track is a keeper.Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17758051038511331313noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6422502928862876383.post-76506801068574774302008-11-30T22:31:00.004-06:002008-11-30T22:35:34.598-06:00What Is She Waiting For?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIxtT0KAUvuECFQAYhJjbV-aAPx2CI7lO8IklubMCikhwwNlOwnRCpFv6goO6Dljiz-9_f5OenglnQ8zTf2cFs7HDRgafSHU5KWP1TwlfW_F4UGXd3EhCclPRrijsXGz_vumfsjkRvK_A/s1600-h/Barbie+Advent.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274675432531765362" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 351px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 265px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIxtT0KAUvuECFQAYhJjbV-aAPx2CI7lO8IklubMCikhwwNlOwnRCpFv6goO6Dljiz-9_f5OenglnQ8zTf2cFs7HDRgafSHU5KWP1TwlfW_F4UGXd3EhCclPRrijsXGz_vumfsjkRvK_A/s400/Barbie+Advent.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMexs67HZFhmCUromowwWQsd6f0_5gKCVjkE0DJyhyAPPFG_gSKe15O5gjhxuxtXB4gEtMKSmuazvhQUd2x-JSgNaTLV0V-kx9U7AStbsnfn50c927C-ZV9qHf8FbbtFeyx5zXVEBRkzA/s1600-h/Barbie+Advent.jpg"></a><br />...it's full of Barbie fashion accessories. No, I didn't buy it.<br /><div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDoDY7Fy7njIrvZKzfYd0KE_UjUsOjV1V1tGtIfmGtmHsFvYGUmr4F4-U2x405JzfOiWIay4_ZRop_CdoRpz-JSxyFqyOjBdgWAXnDRP_8E5GjoMoY3gw08Po9v4-8YzbPkD5mnU1xxYE/s1600-h/Barbie+Advent.jpg"></a></div></div></div>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17758051038511331313noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6422502928862876383.post-13849292461223987902008-11-10T22:10:00.001-06:002008-11-10T22:10:52.303-06:00Speck-tacles<a href="http://www.lovedangerously.org/">My friend's blog</a> has been bothering me lately. She keeps asking the question <a href="http://www.lovedangerously.org/Love_Dangerously/Blog/Entries/2008/11/2_Pure_Madness.html">"what does Christian unity mean?"</a> or, "<a href="http://www.lovedangerously.org/Love_Dangerously/Blog/Entries/2008/10/21_Angrier_%28or_Angry%2C_part_2%29.html">is it alright to criticize other Christians?</a>", or even to be angry at them? These questions have bothered me because I've rarely thought twice about criticizing Christians who I feel aren't getting it right or twisting beliefs I hold sacred. I've even pretty regularly read <a href="http://www.wittenburgdoor.com/">magazines dedicated to such criticism</a> or listened to <a href="http://www.danielamos.com/">Christian music that often turns a satirical eye on its own community</a>. But I guess deep down I believe that I'm both right and wrong in the way I do this and these questions about unity and criticism have forced me to realize I've never really set any boundaries in this area.<br /><br />So I've done some thinking about what the Bible says on the topic. Jesus says judge not lest ye be judged. Jesus says take the plank out of your own eye before pointing out the speck in someone else's. Jesus spends a lot of time putting religious leaders in their place. Paul talks about being unified with other believers. Paul spends 1/2 of the New Testament telling other believers what they're doing wrong. This could be discouraging, but I actually find it encouraging.<br /><br />What does it mean to judge? If I wanted to sound smart I'd dig into the Greek and all that, but I never took Greek, so I thought about the English meaning. A judgement is something final. It says "You are this" or "You are that" - you are guilty or you are innocent; you are going to jail or you are free. Jesus says that God is the only one who gets to make those kinds of judgements. Who we really are, in an absolute sense, is inside of us in a place only God knows. It is not for us to tell people "You are a bad person", "You are not loved by God", "You are not really a Christian", "You are going to hell", etc...<br /><br />But at the same time as we're not supposed to pass grand judgements on people, I don't believe we're supposed to completely close our eyes and our mouths to things people do, just because they do it in the name of Christianity. Even when it's not some huge glaringly obvious wrong like killing or abusing people, I don't think we have to bottle our sensibilities in the name of unity. During my time in the retail world I got to take a short management class where I learned some basic skills for talking to unhappy, or soon to be unhappy, employees. The suggestions are really good for any interpersonal relationships and I think for how we deal with our fellow believers. The main guideline - use "I" statements: "When you do this, it makes me feel this way", "What you are doing does not fit in with my beliefs about Christianity", "When you handle snakes on Sunday morning, I fear for your life and wonder if we're reading the same Bible", "I read your Left Behind book and it doesn't fit in with my beliefs about good writing or good theology". You get the picture. These types of statements don't pass judgement on a person - who they are deep down, what their relationship with God is, or what their eternal destiny might be. When we keep the conversation focused on our feelings and our beliefs, it leaves room for both parties to dialogue, and learn about each other. I know there's a fine line between "I" statements and backhanded criticism (and one or two of my examples certainly walk that line), but this approach goes a lot farther than telling someone "I can't believe you would do that and call yourself a Christian", etc...<br /><br />I certainly don't mean we have a free pass to express every feeling we have about anybody or anything the second we have it - we should be slow to speak about these things, looking for the planks in our own eyes on the matters, deciding whether dialogue on the issue is necessary or potentially fruitful. This is where I fail constantly. This is where I need boundaries. We are called to speak the truth in love, and I think the boundary I need to work on is not speaking if it's not in love, not out of real concern for a person or a situation. Not speaking when it's only to say "look at those idiots". I think the bottom line is that "unity in Christ" means the ability to love in spite of differences. Not the ability to put them all aside and pretend they're not there and never speak of them.Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17758051038511331313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6422502928862876383.post-25100455153503370402008-10-29T21:34:00.003-06:002008-10-30T06:05:58.805-06:00Look At Us, We Formed A Band!I've finally gotten around to doing one of those things I've been meaning to get around to doing - take one of the ensemble classes at the Old Town School of Folk Music. I last took classes there sometime before we moved to Durango, so it's been awhile. Those classes were just guitar and mandolin classes. The ensemble classes have always sounded interesting but intimidating, but I finally grew a pair and signed up for the Alt Country Ensemble. I went in not really knowing exactly what an ensemble class is about, but anxious to find out.<br /><br />I got to the main Lincoln Ave location about 15 minutes before start of class to find my class not listed on the directory. The people at the info table pleaded ignorance and sent me to the main office. They looked me up and told me I was supposed to be at the Armitage location. I actually made pretty good time getting down there and miraculously found a very close parking space with little trouble and was only 20 minutes late. I had never been in that location before - it's very small and was pretty deserted when I got there. I found my class on the posted list, then wandered upstairs looking for it, but couldn't find it, so I came back downstairs and asked in the office. I was directed downstairs where I found my class and apologized for my tardiness and was told all I had missed was introductions, which was too bad because I would have liked to have been there for those as they are helpful in orienting oneself to a strange new situation. The teacher didn't ask my name or anything.<br /><br />I found an empty seat and got my guitar out. There were 7 people including myself, 8 including the teacher. 3 guitarists (myself included), 1 banjo, and 1 guy who started on guitar then switched to bass and seemed happier there, and 1 drummer. The teacher played guitar. 2 girls (both guitarists) and a wide range of ages. There was a six pack of beer in a plastic bag in the middle of the floor. After I sat down one of the girls handed me a stapled packet of music - lyrics and chords. I flipped through and was happy to see I was familiar with every song except one (familiar in that I have heard the songs, not that I necessarily know how to play them). We quickly jumped into "I Ain't Ever Satisfied" by Steve Earle. There was a little going over of chords and rhythms, but nothing in the way of arranging Whoever wanted to sing along sang along. We went through the song twice, going back to work a part or two that was a little tricky. And that was pretty much the MO for the evening as we played 5 or 6 songs before our hour and a half was up. We also played New Madrid by Uncle Tupelo, Papa Was Rodeo by Kelly Hogan (originally by Magentic Fields), Can't Let Go by Lucinda Williams, This Flower by Kasey Chambers, and I Married Her Just Because She Looks Like You by Lyle Lovett.<br /><br />It was all very low key and pretty fun. I was comfortable enough to talk and sing along a bit. I did wish I had brought my mandolin. I don't feel this class is going to stretch me much if I play guitar, whereas mandolin, which I'm horrible at and haven't played in ages, would be a stretch. Keyboard is a possibility too. I will definitely bring the mandolin next week. Our teacher said she would sign us up to perform a week from Friday at the school's once a month Friday night get together or jamboree or whatever you want to call it - I've never been to one.<br /><br />Art Brut - Formed A Band<br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/qryAwfpHG8o&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/qryAwfpHG8o&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17758051038511331313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6422502928862876383.post-67047394345188378262008-10-28T19:55:00.002-06:002008-10-28T20:14:24.707-06:00That's My Daughter in the WaterTook Linnea to her swim lesson for the first time tonight (my first time, not hers). They were held at the high school down the road from her mom's. I felt like we were an odd pair walking through the halls of the high school. I spent a lot of time at the high school in Durango, so that wasn't so strange, but I hadn't been in a high school locker room in many many years and it didn't really bring back good memories.<br /><br />We were early and there was some sort of diving team practice going on (which continued at the opposite end of the pool throughout Linnea's lesson). It was a girls' team with a male coach who equally berated and joked with the girls. At one point he seemed to be sending a few of them home, and I couldn't tell in what spirit or under what circumstances this was happening. Their dives were video taped then instantly played back on a TV on the wall. One girl used a large harness that the coach somewhat controlled with one end of a rope. She was doing flips. The coach kept saying he thought that maybe she could do it without the harness. I'm not sure exactly what the harness was doing to help her.<br /><br />As for Linnea's lessons, I was unclear as to whether she was being taught by high school students or what. First a friendly girl who seemed to be about college age came over, but she didn't know Linnea. She asked who she was and who her teacher was (I didn't know the answer to the second question, but she was able to look it up on her list). There were about 4 different teachers/classes going on simultaneously with different age groups. I'm not sure if her teacher today was her regular teacher. She was also youngish, but I don't think high school age. I came to the conclusion that the lessons were through the park district and they were just renting the school's pool. The girl seemed to be doing an okay job, but it seemed to be just that to her - a job. Some of the other teachers seemed to be enjoying themselves, but her not so much. She often looked up at me when she would tell Linnea something as if she was concerned that I wouldn't approve of how she was working with my daughter. I sat on the bleachers and read.<br /><br />As I watched Linnea on one end of the pool and the high schoolers on the other, I couldn't help but think about how soon she'll be on the other end. It's a strange and sad thing, and maybe it's just me that does it, to have a daughter who's only 4 and already be sad that her childhood is so short. I wish I could do a better job of just living in the moment. I definitely understand how people end up with multiple children - every little bit of their independence is a piece of your heart and you long for that time when they were completely dependent on you (and unable to talk back) and you forget about the not sleeping and crying all the time parts.<br /><br /><br />Loudon Wainwright III - "Daughter"<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/nPTkkqqzf90&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/nPTkkqqzf90&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17758051038511331313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6422502928862876383.post-38050719102110729002008-10-27T19:55:00.005-06:002008-10-27T20:19:37.955-06:00Sorry Joy Yee, You're Just Not Cozy EnoughForgive the title of this post. It's horrible, but I couldn't resist.<br /><br />There are many noodle places in Evanston, but <a href="http://www.joyyee.com/">Joy Yee </a>certainly gets the most attention. With their gargantuan menu with big pictures, humongous entrees served in hollowed out pineapples, huge fruit drinks with disgusting black tapioca balls at the bottom, the place is always packed. And when I say packed, I mean packed. You could barely slide a paper doll between the tables. When they closed down to renovate and expand into the space immediately next door, there was speculation that the crowding would ease up. I predicted there would just be more tables incredibly close to each other. I was pretty much right.<br /><br />I like Joy Yee's food, and it's kind of fun, and they do make a great Thai Iced Coffee which would be on my list for my last meal on death row, but there's a little, mostly unsung, noodle place a few blocks down that I would much rather spend my time and money in. I'm not sure how I missed <a href="http://www.cozynoodles.com/">Cozy Noodles & Rice </a>for so long, but I'm glad I finally found it. I'm pretty sure I've blogged about it before, but I'm going to do it again. It's like a family friendly Joy Yee without all the flash. The walls are adorned with kitsch - old lunchboxes, pez dispensers, bobbleheads, etc....but somehow they manage to come off as more of a wierd collection than an attempt at retro-cool. That's neither here nor there for me personally, but Linnea loves looking at it all. The menu is considerably shorter than Joy Yee's, but it has all the noodle shop staples plus some specials, and I'm yet to have a bad dish. Their Thai Iced Coffee is also excellent and they also have a selection of fruit freezes, though I'm not sure about the tapioca.<br /><br />Tonight we were sat in the smaller room for the first time, along with a few other families (possibly a birthday party?), which made me feel comfortable and not overly concerned about Linnea's volume or penchant to wander around. Linnea really enjoyed the fact the tables in that room were old sewing tables that still had the wheel and the foot pedal. We had the spring rolls which are unlike any I've had anywhere else - I'm not even sure what's in them. Rather than the rice paper the wrap is a thicker spongier material, and fillings are thicker too - tofu or something, all drizzled with a very sweet sauce. I get them whenever I go, and Linnea even likes it. I ordered the Bammee noodles and the waitress tried to talk me out of them, giving me the sense that I was too white for this dish, which only solidified my resolve. They turned out to be ramen type noodles with very good BBQ pork, peanuts, and a couple pieces of crabmeat (imitation I'm sure). It wasn't bad but the noodles were too sweet. We also got Yakisoba noodles with tofu and carrots, which Linnea loved and I liked too. Linnea was in a good mood and willing to try things, including the tofu, which she liked. The service was very friendly and prompt, but not rushed, though the food came very quickly. Though we didn't get it tonight, they have great mochi too (something I'm pretty sure Joy Yee doesn't have).<br /><br />This is probably one of the most family friendly restaurants in Evanston, though you might never suspect it to be. My daughter loves the food and the atmosphere, and it's great to be able to take her some place where grilled cheese isn't an option.Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17758051038511331313noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6422502928862876383.post-30468797033367575212008-10-21T23:20:00.002-06:002008-10-21T23:39:44.832-06:00My Week of Tedium - TuesdayI went to bed last night around 9:30, which is very early for me. I awoke this morning from another vivid and very angry dream. The weird thing was I didn't know anyone in the dream. I can't figure out who they were all subbing for either.<br /><br />Got Linnea to her Grandmother's and then hit the Skokie post office to mail that package. While I frequently use the self service machine in that post office, this was the first I've used an actual human being, and was scolded for not understanding where the line was, in spite of the fact that there were no visual clues to help me with that.<br /><br />The freeway was horrible and I attempted an alternate route, but decided I probably would have been better off staying on the freeway and am swearing to never let myself talk me into trying different routes again. They never turn out well.<br /><br />Not much excitement at work, though I felt a bit more productive than yesterday. After work I stopped at GameStop to pick up <a href="http://www.fable2.com">Fable II</a>. The clerk was a bit of a wiseacre at my expense, but I remember my own attempts to entertain myself while working retail. Played a bit of the game before heading off to youth group, and a bit after. It's way too early to pass any judgement, but it looks nice.<br /><br />Jr. High Youth group was well attended and the students were energetic as usual. A number of high schoolers were there too who are planning to go on the retreat this weekend as helpers. There are a lot of them planning to go on the retreat and I'm concerned the ratio may be too heavy on adults and high schoolers, but we'll see.<br /><br />During baseball season I love listening to Cubs games while I clean the kitchen. I actually almost never watch games on TV. When baseball season is over, this creates quite a void for me and it is hard to get myself into the kitchen to clean. I was trying to think of what else I might enjoy listening to while cleaning and I thought of a<a href="http://www.93xrt.com/wxrt-chicago-the-eclectic-company/1522203"> show on XRT Tuesday nights at 10pm </a>that I've been wanting to listen to for years, but when am I ever listening to the radio at 10pm on a Tuesday night? So I made a date to listen and clean tonight (don't worry, I clean more than once a week). The show is often hosted by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Langford">Jon Langford</a> who is one of my favorite Chicago musicians and seeming all around cool guy, though I've only personally spoken about 2 sentences to him. I caught about 45 minutes tonight and wasn't terribly hooked, but will try again next week. I'll have to start looking out for some NPR or WLUW programs in the evenings that I might make a date for too. And hopefully by April I'll be ready to let the Cubs back into my crushed heart.Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17758051038511331313noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6422502928862876383.post-89902111827927695862008-10-20T19:10:00.003-06:002008-10-20T19:27:08.226-06:00My Week of Tedium - MondayI managed to drag myself out of bed around 7ish and found "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Chilton">Alex Chilton</a>" by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Replacements">The Replacements</a> going through my head. I don't actually own any Replacements, which I'm starting to feel the need to remedy, but "Alex Chilton" is in Rock Band and was one of the last songs I played last night and it is darn catchy. Not only does it make me feel bad about not having any Replacements in my collection, it makes me feel bad about not having any <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lightman#Personnel">Big Star</a>.<br /><br />Managed to get a lunch together (leftover Turkey Burger from the other night) and rode in with A. Stopped at <a href="http://www.nycbageldeli.com/">NYC Bagel</a> for a tub of their incredible Sun Dried Tomato cream cheese, which I then left at work, as usual, so I have to remember to bring bagels to work with me. It does pain me a bit to be in Chicago going to a place called NYC Bagel, but if there's better bagels and cream cheese in Chicago, 2 blocks from my office, please direct me.<br /><br />Work was work. I was very sleepy and non-productive this afternoon. At lunch I walked to the bank to deal with some money transferring. It started to drizzle on my walk back, but luckily I made it before it started pouring. The only real excitement in the day was M had brought in an old (fully functional) Commodore 64, with disk drive, monitor and a box full of games. I spent much of my adolescence playing with my Commodore 64, so it was a trip down memory lane. I have no idea what became of my C64 or when I stopped using it (sometime in high school), but I didn't own another computer or game system until my mother-in-law gave us an old 486 computer, which I think we replaced within a year with a then-current model.<br /><br />Took the el home and walked in a few minutes before Linnea got dropped off. The kitchen is still a mess from the weekend's cooking so we went out to eat. Something possessed me to take us to Chili's - I don't know why. I try very hard not to eat at such places. I had chicken club tacos with stale tortillas (I do like their lime rice though). I couldn't even complain about the tortillas - I don't expect better from them. Linnea and I had a really good time though. Linnea did a 46 number connect the dots and I figured out a way to use what she already knew about counting to help her find her way through the 20s, 30s, and 40s. She's a pretty smart kid, but every parent probably thinks that of their child. On the way home we stopped at CVS to pick up some packing tape so I could mail something I sold on E-Bay, and I was glad we stopped there because when I went to pay I realized I left my bank card at Chili's (luckily I had enough cash to cover the purchase, which was a miracle since I almost never carry cash). We headed back over to Chilis and I double parked and called and asked them to bring it out to me to cut down on the hassle of parking in the garage and dragging Linnea back and forth.<br /><br />This is really boring. Luckily it's the end. Maybe tomorrow will bring something exciting.Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17758051038511331313noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6422502928862876383.post-16120873252202360282008-10-19T22:36:00.003-06:002008-10-19T22:51:55.647-06:00Come, Just Are You Are To Worship, Unless....So this morning during church I'm playing keyboard in worship band and we're up there doing the song "Come, Now Is the Time To Worship", which has the line "Come just as you are to worship". I had made the crack to someone earlier that morning that one of these days I would actually show up for worship "just as I am"....like unshowered, unshaven, in my boxers and undershirt or something. I was contemplating just how much we try and put our best selves forward for church....not so much for God, but for other people.<br /><br />In worship band we have a rotating cast of drummers, one of whom is Pete. Pete's young daughter can often be seen in the front of the pews getting her groove on during worship. She's Linnea's age and one of my fondest church memories is playing piano during a youth sunday a few years back and watching the 2 of them having a great time dancing. This morning Pete was drumming and his daughter and her friend were up there having a ball, until an usher came over and shut them down. They weren't in anyone's way. They weren't out of control. Their mother's were right near by. It was a sad thing to see happen, particularly while we're in the middle of singing "Come just as you are to worship".<br /><br />Working with youth I try very hard not to make church a place where you have to act a certain way, dress a certain way, believe a certain way. One phrase I have sworn will never come out of my mouth is "you can't do that (say that, etc..) at church". That prhase fosters the notion that you behave one way at church, and a different way in the rest of your life. It's not just that I want kids to take their church behavior into the rest of their life, but I want them to be themselves at church. I might tell them to do this or that in the spirit of being respectful to others (things I would tell them to do in any similar secular setting), but never just because it's church and we have to do things a certain way. Our church has come a long way in that we now have drums and can play music that it's even possible to dance to, and some people feel comfortable raising their hands. But why not a little dancing? I hate for our kids to come away feeling that church is just a place where you have to dress nice, follow rules, and listen to some boring sermons, and I would hate for these young girls, or anyone, to have their desire to dance crushed in the name of religious piety.Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17758051038511331313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6422502928862876383.post-70445056360142771212008-10-19T22:33:00.005-06:002008-10-19T23:10:58.861-06:00A Week of Tedium - SundayThe alarm went off at 6am and I immediately began questioning my devotion to playing in the worship band. I wouldn't have had to get up quite so early except I always forget to give Linnea a bath on Saturday night and I couldn't possibly bring a dirty child to church (that's a joke, but really, by Sunday she needs the bath). Luckily she was pretty cooperative this morning and we got out the door okay. I really wanted to stop for coffee on the way, but part of her bribe for being good during band rehearsal is that we go to Starbucks between rehearsal and Sunday School, so I had to wait. Luckily she was pretty well behaved during rehearsal and I got to have my coffee.<br /><br />Jr. High Sunday school got onto the topic of salvation and heaven and does God send good people who don't go to church. Bob was straight out with the "Jesus is the only way to heaven" dogma, and to his credit he was pretty diplomatic about it. I was having a pretty agnostic morning after reading part of a New Yorker article about theodicy and tried to put forward a bit more inclusive take on things but I think I was overly vague and didn't really say much of anything. I need to figure out what my best answers to these questions are and how to relate them to kids. You would think I would have that figured out by now, but my faith is a constantly developing thing and my views on things change and develop and refine.<br /><br />Worship during second service was a bit disheartening (<a href="http://chicagorandomness.blogspot.com/2008/10/come-just-are-you-are-to-worship-unless.html">see other blog post</a>) and the service was long....very long. I nodded off, but that's nothing new.<br /><br />Linnea and I had lunch at home then K stopped by to pick up a DVD I made for her. I also sent her away with some of the cookies I made, which are awesome by the way. Linnea sat on my lap for awhile and we went through a kid's magazine my mom sent her a subscription for. I think it's supposed to be Highlights for younger kids (I thought you could only get Highlights in pediatricians offices).<br /><br />After dropping Linnea off at her mom's I tried to call to see if her new headboard/footboard were ready to be picked up, but the guy needed to call me back with an answer so I headed home and started watching "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" which I had from Netflix. I eventually got the call back with a confirmation that the bed was ready and that they closed at 6. So I took a nap then headed over to pick it up and get some dinner. I ended up at <a href="http://www.sashimisashimi.com/">Sashimi Sashimi</a>, which has my favorite roll in the world with the worst name - the <a href="http://www.sashimisashimi.com/menu.htm#SpecialtyMaki">Big Chicago</a>. I don't even know what it has in it, but it's awesome. Then I grabbed a coffee at Peet's and headed home. More Forgetting Sarah Marshall, my usual Sunday Rock Band 2 drumming session (with neighbors and Linnea the times when I can play the drums are extremely limited, but they're really fun, so I've found Sunday afternoon/evening to be a good time for it), then laundry and putting Linnea's headboard/footboard together. I could write a whole long blog about the ordeal of what it has taken to finally get her a new bed, but I'll take <a href="http://thecuppajo.blogspot.com/2008/08/beans-spillith-over.html">a cue from my friend's blog </a>and just not go there.<br /><br /><br />A pretty good Sunday and now I should be in my bed.Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17758051038511331313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6422502928862876383.post-64209330125068538622008-10-18T19:47:00.002-06:002008-10-18T20:14:45.722-06:00A Week of TediumAnd now for no particular reason (this is Chicago <u>Randomness</u> after all), I will attempt to blog everyday this week about the details of my ever so exciting days.<br /><br />This morning Linnea woke me from a vivid dream around 8am. I don't remember the dream, but I've been having some doozies lately, which really means I haven't been sleeping all that well. I rejoiced to discover it was 8am and not 6:30am or whenever she often likes to get up. It was a good way to start a Saturday. For some reason I didn't feel the usual Saturday trip to Dixie Kitchen for brunch, so we just had the usual cereal and whatever. I did though have to get my coffee fix and the only coffee in the house was some weeks old ground coffee, so we walked to Starbucks. It was a fairly nice day and we ran into a couple of the high schoolers walking to the fabric store for Halloween costume fabric. Linnea was a little too antsy in Starbucks and I didn't get to sit and drink my coffee (opting to take it home instead). While we were in Starbucks I saw my co-worker V standing outside talking on his cell phone. I texted him that I could see him, but being on the phone he didn't get it until we had already left. On the walk home we saw more friends, A & her daughter G, in their car on their way out of town. One of the things I surprisingly miss about Durango is the small community and being known almost everywhere you go (that of course has its disadvantadges t00), and I think seeing all these people in one morning makes Evanston feel a little more homey to me than it usually does. Oh, and on our way out of Starbucks Linnea saw a family she knew. She said they were from Pope John, but I didn't recognize them.<br /><br />Once we got home Linnea played with play-dough while I worked on a jigsaw puzzle that has been sitting on my dining room table for months with little action. Then lunch, then off to T-Ball. It's tough to watch a T-Ball practice and keep your mouth shut and not yell at your kid to get with the program, but I did a pretty good job. They actually played a slight approximation of a game today, which I hadn't seen before. They each had a turn to hit and field. Linnea didn't see any action in the field, and didn't seem to really be looking for any. She managed to get a modest hit on the 3rd or 4th try. When I pressed her later about her activities in the field she said her pants were falling down and thus she couldn't get into the "ready" position her coach had showed them. Not much I could say to that.<br /><br />From there it was directly to Highland Park for a classmate's birthday party. This was a drop-off party so I had a little over an hour to kill in the neighborhood. I didn't know where anything was except Ravinia. I sought out a coffee place but went the wrong direction and drove pretty aimlessly for a long time before finally stumbling upon their downtown. I ended up in a Corner Bakery with a cup of soup and a coffee and my current read, "My Name is Asher Lev". When I got back to the party they were whacking at a Barbie pinata (I wouldn't mind hitting Barbie with a baseball bat). They had made caramel apples and had cake and ice cream. Kids apparently don't open presents at their parties anymore - I'm not sure what's up with that. Maybe kids are too honest in their reactions and it's to save feelings from getting hurt?<br /><br />On the way home I got a call from my friend L who I hadn't heard from in ages and I was actually planning to call tomorrow as part of my effort every Sunday to connect with someone I've been out of touch with for too long. Some time ago we had discussed some furniture they were thinking of getting rid of and they had just come back from a rummage sale with some new stuff and wanted to get rid of the old. Since we were about to drive by their house anyway I asked if I could stop over and take another look at the stuff. I'm going to take a dining room table and chairs, but have to pass on a large computer work station (because it is a corner unit and I just don't have a suitable corner). The table will be nice though - I've had my current table since right after we got married. It's a hand-me-down from my friend's K&A who I've pilfered quite a bit of furniture from. It's a very sturdy table, but pretty beat up. The one I'm getting from G&L is also kind of beat up, but the big plus is it has a removable leaf and more, nicer chairs. So we hung out over there for a little bit and said hi to the kids and helped them move some of the new furniture, but they were pretty busy so we didn't stay long.<br /><br />We came home and I made a grocery list and we headed off to Jewel. It only took about 5 minutes for me to insist Linnea sit in the cart, which meant I had to listen to her complain about it for the rest of the somewhat lengthy shopping trip. I ran into one of the same high school kids, with a different friend, also from our church, who were shopping for items to make dinner for one of our church families. I made Turkey Burgers, fries (frozen bag), and sugar snap peas. The Turkey Burgers and peas were from a new recipe book my mom sent me that it supposed to be healthy kid friendly food. The recipes don't try to be cutesy kid stuff, which I appreciate. The burgers were pretty good. It was silly in that I had bought Turkey patties forgetting that I was going to mix a bunch of stuff in, so they ended up in a big wad anyway. They were cooked in the broiler and came out a bit dry, though Linnea liked the homemade tartar sauce from the recipe. The peas were also pretty good, which is saying a lot for me since I'm not much of a cooked green vegetable kind of guy. They were a frozen bag that you put in the microwave without piercing it or anything. They come out nicely steamed. The recipe added a peach preserve and soy sauce glaze. It was also supposed to have some ground ginger in it, which I had bought but forgot to put in. I'll try that next time. I also made a tollhouse cookie type recipe that is still cooling. I'm concerned I undercooked it. It took me two tries already. The first batch I accidentally put in twice the flour and put the egg in at the wrong time. Luckily I abandoned it before I used up all the chocolate chips. I had enough of everything else to try again. I've done very little baking and had to buy the right size, pan but was pleasantly surprised to discover that I still have a hand mixer. Linnea tried to help and did a surprisingly good job with the hand mixer, but it was after her usual bedtime and I had been cooking too long, so we were both grouchy and it wasn't a good mix.<br /><br />Well off to try those cookies and unwind a bit. Until tomorrow, when I hope to use shorter paragraphs.Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17758051038511331313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6422502928862876383.post-26054626730604660512008-10-09T21:19:00.002-06:002008-10-09T21:32:00.099-06:00Apatow/Rogan remake DisneySo I was home ill yesterday and pleased to find some pay-cable channel or another showing "Knocked Up". I had seen it in the theaters and enjoyed it and identified with it strongly (Paul Rudd's character, not so much the porn-site running stoners or the pregnant girl). It is certainly the strongest offering in the now oversaturated Judd Apatow/Seth Rogen market (though I'm yet to see Pineapple Express).<br /><br />Anyway, it dawned on me as I watched parts of it this time that it's a remake of Lady and the Tramp, sans songs and siamese cats. Rogen is a tramp who struggles with this woman pulling him away from his Bohemian lifestyle, and Heigl's character is (obviously) Lady, slowly being charmed by the tramp's carefree attitude. Rogen's character is truly a tramp, unemployed and living off the last $900 of an accident settlement he believes will carry him for a few years. She slowly warms to aspects of his lifestyle, even helping him screen movies for celebrity nudity to log on his website; much like Lady was willing to throw off her muzzle and scrounge for hand-outs with Tramp. I didn't make it through to the end on this viewing, but if I recall correctly it is almost identical to the end of the Disney film - in the same way that Tramp ends up domesticated with Lady and a litter of puppies, Rogen ends up domesticated with Heigl and a newborn.<br /><br />Then "Hot Fuzz" was on next....seems I miss a lot of good movies by being gainfully employed.Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17758051038511331313noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6422502928862876383.post-44607760048408974392008-10-08T16:59:00.007-06:002008-10-09T20:55:54.594-06:001 Vs. 100I finally hit that milestone that every adult dreams of - my 100th Facebook friend. One thing I've come to realize from using Facebook is the reason we fall out of touch with people is that we can only sustain so many real relationships. There are so many people on Facebook I was excited to find or excited to have find me that I still have had almost no contact with. I think a lot of the times it's been more about collecting people than connecting with people. My regular contact is with the people I'd be regularly in contact with anyway. That's not to say it's not a great site just for the fun of it - walls, status updates, photo sharing, groups, event invitations, etc...are all great. But it has certainly not revolutionized my social network.<br /><br />So, just for the heck of it, here's the breakdown on my 100 "closest" friends:<br /><br />26 - Former youth group kids (now in college or older)<br /><br />13 - Current youth group kids<br /><br />11 - People from summer mission trips I took when I was in high school, some of whom I've had ongoing relationships, some of whom I haven't spoken to since the trips<br /><br />7 -People I went to college with (almost none of whom I've had ongoing relationships with)<br /><br />6 -People I went to high school with<br /><br />5 - Friends/Acquantainces I see on a regular basis, mostly from church<br /><br />5 -Former youth group leaders<br /><br />4 -Current Co-workers<br /><br />3 - Hard-to-classify acquantainces, friends or significant others of friends, etc...<br /><br />3 -Former youth group leaders i also went to college with<br /><br />3 - Current Youth Group Leaders<br /><br />2 - Friends I knew when I was in high school but weren't from my high school<br /><br />2 - Former youth group kids, still in youth group, at my previous church<br /><br />2 - Former Co-workers<br /><br />2 - Current youth group leaders who were also former youth group kids<br /><br />2 - Staff or counselors from summer camps I counseled/spoke at<br /><br />2 -People I went to college with but didn't know until after college<br /><br />1 - Former High School Teachers (Actually still a high school teacher, formerly my high school teacher)<br /><br />1 - People who for some reason have 2 profiles<br /><br />Since 1 person has 2 profiles, my 100th friend was really my 99th (thanks alot Lisa - everyone else is happy with 1 profile, why can't you be?). Luckily, since beginning to work on this post, I've received my 101st friend request. So I add -<br /><br />Family Members - 1Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17758051038511331313noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6422502928862876383.post-22223527609819154312008-09-10T19:44:00.002-06:002008-09-10T19:54:21.991-06:00Pointless Things I Do Out of Habit - Hard Boiled Egg EditionFact: I keep my uncooked eggs in the refrigerator (usually a good idea), in their original packaging, which is typically your standard cardboard egg carton. They never, ever, are kept in any other fashion.<br /><br />Fact: I keep my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">hardboiled</span> eggs in a bowl. They never, ever, are put in back in the egg carton. It's not even a temptation (though now that I think of it, it could save refrigerator space, like I have anything in there competing for space anyway).<br /><br />Not Quite A Fact in the Scientifically Provable Sense: Approx. 85% of the time, if I'm <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">hardboiling</span> eggs, they're the only eggs in the house anyway because I'm trying to use them up.<br /><br />In spite of these facts, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">everytime</span> I make <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">hardboiled</span> eggs, I knock the egg against the counter to put a small dent in the shell signifying its <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">hardboiledness</span>. Pointless. Utterly. A carryover from my childhood when eggs mingled carelessly in the melting pot that was our refrigerator.Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17758051038511331313noreply@blogger.com3