No real theme today, just a few random things...
Life is great. It would be better if the weather was more agreeable...it was about 70 degrees today, but rained, only at the most inopportune times. For instance, I took the garbage out this morning and was shocked to walk out into a balmy, spring-like morning. But no sooner had I thrown the trash away and retreived my helmet and backpack from my apartment than I came back outside to a goddamn downpour. I got soaked on the way to work and then it was fine all day. I go to leave at 6pm and what do you know, thunder roars and I hear loud drops crashing into the windows. Fucking Christ. I wanted nothing more than to ride the Death Dealer, fast, down Lake Shore Drive downtown to hit Pearl Paint before they closed. Now that plan has been abandoned in favor of a shitty web update, since I loathe riding in the rain.
New camera in my clutches. Actually, same old camera...but the slightly-better, 3.2 mp version. Great stuff, I love the Elph.
Webloggers beware: I noticed that a few assholes had gone through my archives and left spam "comments," which I deleted. Apparently trying to bolster their traffic or search engine ranking. Not like anyone can/does look through my archives, but I offer a tall glass of fuck to anyone who pulls that kind of shit.
Busy with the Scooterworks catalog project. Lots of photography, lots of clipping paths, lots of data entry, and the full compliment of the sore wrists/hands/fingers associated with such tasks.
New albums from Rza and Richmond Fontaine. Both fairly standard and lackluster offerings from two of my favorite artists...kind of sad. Fortunately this disappointment is balanced by my enthusiastic devouring of The Geography of Nowhere, a book about urban planning by James Kunstler.
There is a new vegan-friendly Chinese place in Chicago which serves quite a few fake meat dishes, filling a large and embarassing void in the local culinary offerings. Since cities a tenth our size have several such places, I couldn't believe upon moving here that we didn't have any...though we also get our asses whipped by Minneapolis and even little ol' Milwaukee when it comes to range and quality of vegan baked goods (and co-op stores). Don't get me wrong, we have some goddamn good veg restaurants here, but not having a fake-meat chinese place is an abomination (and sorry, but as great as it is, Alice and Friends is NOT that). There's also a new Thai place with lots of fake meat that I'm itching to try. Looking forward to many portions being sent to hell in my stomach in the coming months.
Utterly in love, and in a healthy, enriching, and reciprocal way. An incredible development for the callous, weary bastard I'd become. Finally, fortunately...a better half.
Posted by pj at November 4, 2003 06:38 PMIt's on: Dharma Garden we come. Soon enough. Also: I noticed the sharpness of the photo there, the bump in MP does photos good. And also: If you're itching for the RZA, best you get your hands on his quality work for the Kill Bill Soundtracks, good shite.
Posted by: Naz at November 4, 2003 11:47 PMwhat rail line is that rain from?
Posted by: at November 7, 2003 07:42 PMI loved the variety of vegan food in Chicago.
Here in Toronto we've got an abundance of vegan & vegetarian (almost all buddhist) asian restaurants with great mock meat dishes. About 6 within 15 minutes walking distance of my house in the downtown area.
BUT... we've got nothing like Soul Veg or Chicago Diner!
Posted by: Ida at November 8, 2003 12:13 PMI'm curious to know who you are dating now.
Posted by: rod at November 9, 2003 07:01 PMThat train photo is from the Amtrak "Hiawatha" line, which runs between Chicago and Milwaukee. Taken near the Sturtevant stop in Wisconsin.
Ida, I would trade you either the Chicago Diner OR Soul Veg for a really wonderful, affordable, comprehensive mock-meat Chinese place. They're both excellent, but I'd probably take cheap analog Chinese over them if I had the choice. Thanks for posting your halloween kitty photos, those were totally adorable!
Rod, I'm not sure who you are, but I'm not going to post details of my relationship online. If you know me, feel free to e-mail me personally.
Posted by: Ride This Train Chmiel at November 10, 2003 10:55 AMP-Dawg!!! Glad to see you're still alive and well. That Train foto on the front page is sweet! Good eye; I hear you have two of them.
I also digged the Poland Pics, and yes you are absolutely right about Piotr – how the hell can anyone compete with that pedigree!? But WOW, it looks like you had a hell of a time out there though. Viewing your photos, it felt as if I was visiting Poland too.
But jah-mon, I just wanted to drop you a shout and check up on ya. Things are so-so here in LA-LA land, but I'm getting by for now. Take it easy you flora muncher.
Posted by: Jamie at November 10, 2003 01:46 PMWhen will we get to see pics of your new girl? Is she as cute as you? I hope so because otherwise, I will be very *very* angry;)
Posted by: dorothy at November 12, 2003 08:53 AMDorothy,
She's at least 1,000 times cuter than I am. I will try to post some kind of a photo soon.
Web page back to pimento olive color I see...does this mean you are past the manic black depressant shit, my long lost silent friend?
Bliss,
Posted by: Maniotes at November 13, 2003 03:28 AMIf only we could actually trade restaurants. I have intense cravings for Soul Vegetarian's BBQ twist... *sigh*
Perhaps you should visit Toronto soon with your girl and sample all the asian vegan fare!
Posted by: Ida at November 15, 2003 04:53 PMYou hear that? It's the sound of my stomach turning. And it's not all this food-talk that's doing it...
Posted by: ryno at November 17, 2003 05:42 PM