To Infinity (Shop) and Beyond

Had the boys down to the Adler Planetarium, and back. They enjoyed it, although the pricetag of that establishment makes me glad I only hit it maybe twice a year. Whew! Apparently they've opened it for evenings every third Thursday of the month, cocktails and what-not for human singularities (Get it? A little black hole humor, there). It was pretty crowded today, and the boys had a good time. I asked them what they liked best about it, and they both said "Everything!"

The bus ride home was typically amusing -- some real characters on the bus. The weekend is always a great time for people-watching on the CTA. I snapped a few covert pictures, just because it was too amusing not to.

Saw a drug deal on State Street! Probably crack, since it was something small passed from hand to hand by their nervous selves. The one guy had gloves with skeleton hands, and he saw me notice it (I was sitting on the bus with the boys -- thankfully, the boys weren't visible to the guy) and he gave me his Look of Death -- we just gazed at each other for a moment, me impassive, him threatening. Serious killer eyes, like a shark's. He and his pal split after the hand-off was made, one heading north, the other south.

There was a guy on the bus with a fur coat, serious sideburns, and just this look of an aged black boxer -- sky-blue mock turtleneck and black suit, a worn red cane, assorted bling, red sunglases perched on his forehead, scowling at nothing in particular. Great outfit! He looked like a middle-aged Black Panther dandy.

B2 often dozes on the bus -- I think it soothes him. It's very sweet, him laying his head on my shoulder. My shoulders lend themselves to that, I think, at least when I'm on the bus.

The boys and I gave up our seats to a trio of blind passengers who boarded -- we went further into the bus, toward the middle. Just being nice. Nobody else gave up their seats. That's usually how it goes -- I'm always the one who does it.

The boys travel very well on the bus. Exene makes it out like it's a big deal, but it's not -- they love to travel, and they are accomplished little city boys. They board and off they go, right into the bus. Very plucky, very cute.

Now we're home, I made them some lunch, and I'm going to rest and watch the Olympics while they play with some of the bric-a-brac I (of course) bought at the "Infinity Shop" (the Adler Planetarium museum shop). I took a bunch of pix, and am going to load them up and see if any are worth sharing.

Row, Row

I really like my rowing machine. I got one for about $149 a number of months ago -- a cheap but well-reviewed one. It's good stuff. Usually about 30-60 minutes of it a day does the trick. I definitely feel it, and it's toning me up nicely -- a good, low-impact blend of cardio and strength. Although I am going to add some additional cardio to the mix, likely jump rope.

I remember reading that for big guys like me, rowing and swimming are some of the best things to do, in terms of biomechanics -- some of the worst are running and biking, just from the inertial costs of movement and wear and tear on the joints. I enjoy biking, will likely always do it, but I'm not one of those hardcore All-Season Chicago Bikers -- strictly a tourist! So, I need additional cardio in the winter to make up for that.

Blah blah blah.

Getting the boys ready for the outing today. They'll love the planetarium; they always do!

I forgot that B1 gets Monday off for Pulaski Day, a very Chicago municipal holiday! So, hopefully the weather will be good and I'll get them to the playground or something. Not sure, yet.

Driving my first Zipcar tomorrow -- a Scion xB! The boys will likely think that's pretty great. It's kinda surreal -- the way they do the Zipcar thing, it's like a secret agent mission -- you make your reservation for X car, and you get instructions on what to do, where to get it. You just go there and your Zipcard opens the car, and off you go. Cue "Mission Impossible" theme!

Still Up

I'm such a caffeine wuss; I had some dark chocolate M&Ms earlier this evening, and they are keeping me up! I know dark chocolate has probably like a thimbleful of caffeine in it, a super-tiny dose, but it still affects me strongly. Anything even remotely caffeinated after about 6 p.m. and I'm up!

So, I'm still trying to match the perfection of the Gemini Bistro's Old Fashioneds. They were so good. I've tried them at any number of places throughout Chicago, and the Gemini's were simply the best.

I made a couple today, came pretty close to it, but not 100%. I'm minding the boys for the next several days, so I'll not be able to do any field research at the Gemini, but I do plan to again. I want to get it right. Right now, I'm tentatively confident that it's

1 shot Maker's Mark
1 shot Cointreau
Several dashes Bitters
A dash of maraschino cherry juice

But I'm not completely sure about it. Maybe more Cointreau? The next time I order one, I'm going to watch the bartender make it (and hope it was the same one who made it back in November), and see if they add anything else. Hey, I take my Epicureanism seriously, dammit. It was the perfect Old-Fashioned, and I want to be able to replicate it!

So, tomorrow I'm going to take the boys to Adler Planetarium -- I told B1 we'd do that, and he was thrilled. I try to get the boys there twice a year, usually summer and winter, just because it's fun for them, a good "little kid" museum (e.g., just enough stuff there to entertain them, not soooo much stuff that they get all worn out). Adler's a trifle pricey for what you get, but twice a year, it's doable.

I guess that's all for the moment. I finally yawned, so maybe the mega-caffeine from the M&Ms (joking) is finally wearing off.

Just a Dash

One thing in "The Incredibles" that always sorta stuck in my craw is how they have Dash sign up for track. Now, the kid has super-speed as his superpower, right? And in the end, we see Dash at a track meet, and his folks urging him to come in a close second in a race he could completely win.



Of course, it's played for comedic effect, with norms looking on like "WTF?" But still, it kinda bugs me -- why not have the kid try out for wrestling? Something where his super-speed wouldn't be quite such an advantage? What's the point of him running very slowly in a track meet in a track meet he could easily win? The message of it is kinda annoying. Better for him to diversify than to simply fake it in a race he knows he could win. A real accomplishment, instead of an ersatz one.

Otherwise, I enjoy that movie a lot, hope they do a sequel for it; it's already long overdue.

Geisha

Frosty

Lincoln Park, near Clark Street.

Nip/Tuck

Next Wednesday is the series finale for "Nip/Tuck."

I really enjoyed the first three seasons of that show; I think those were the best. I think they lost their way in the fourth through sixth seasons, and had some good moments in this last season, although it seems very much a show "out of time" -- that is, the world it began in (2003) isn't here quite the same way, anymore. Hopefully the ending will have some edge to it, and it won't be mawkish. It's nice to see Famke Janssen return (aptly cast as the quietly evil, controlling hermaphrodite, Ava). Lord knows what her presence in the story is going to do in that finale. I keep hoping Quentin Costa will return, but that's likely too much to hope for. Sean McNamara is so nuts, he's potentially capable of anything. Although deliberately amoral, Christian Troy is likely to end up hurt by Sean. Julia has returned this season, and her absence has been keenly felt -- the seasons without her always felt empty to me -- she anchored Sean and Christian so well. There was just something very good in the three of them that was lost when she was off the show, so her returning makes this last season brighter. Anyway, one more episode. We'll see how it goes. The first three seasons are well worth your time, if you haven't ever bothered to watch the show.

Weekend

I am enjoying this long weekend, most definitely. Sucks to not pass the first round of eliminations in the Amazon competition, but judging from the titles of some of the works that DID pass, maybe not such a bad thing...

The Ghost of Laurie Floyd
Passage To Brazil: The Travelers
From Across the Room
Manufactured Thoughts
Wishing for Credence
Driving To Kansas For Dresses
China White
THE BEACH AT HERCULANEUM
Temp: Life in the Stagnant Lane
THE REENGINEER
FoxTheft - War on the Bayou
When Spirits Beckon
All About Betty
Sanctuary
Deep Fried
The Cozen Protocol
But Can You Drink The Water?
Shifted
Strip Kids
The Katrina Contract
Patent Mine
The Glory that was Glass
The Patriot Spy
The Dies Irae
The Emptying
Treasure On The Frontier
The Season After The War
Tepui
SHEDDING CATS
Wife Seeking Wife
A Lone Palm Stands
The Chabóchi
Pretty Cockroaches
View from Masada

Just saying. Oooh, sour grapes, blah blah blah. But I guarantee I'm a better writer than most of the participants.

I'm going to work on some new stuff this weekend, now that the Olympics is winding down and is freeing my mind to non-Olympics-related stuff. ; )

Well, Hell

I didn't make it to the next round in the Amazon competition. Damn. I guess my pitch wasn't good enough or something. Oh, well.

On the bright side, somebody's story, "Fried Green Zombies," DID advance. So, if you were banking on that one, good for you!

Trumped

Trump Building (l) and Carbide &
Carbon/Hard Rock Hotel Building (r).
South loop.

Forbidden Fruit

Magnificent Mile, downtown Chicago.

Lighting

Hyde Park, Stony Island Avenue.

Worky Workington

It's sunny today. Cold, but pretty. Like you can almost see Spring flexing its toes a bit, despite that odd snowstorm last night.

This clip always makes me snicker...



I just love how the bassist and drummer try to keep it together as the frontman melts down, and how visibly disgusted the other guys are with it. I also love how the frontman's guitar is de-tuned from the initial wipeout, and he's basically just playing from muscle memory, but like a few octaves off-kilter.

*snicker* <-- See? I toldja!