Hippies Live In Chicago

I know, I know. I ask you to read my blog and make comments and all that, then I drop off the radar for a week. You’re getting mixed signals, you’re confused, and you don’t know what to think. I understand and I’m sorry. I just have a lot going on right now, but I promise things will be better soon. Just stick with me. I need your support. You know that I love you. Actually, I freed up my Friday night and I want to take you out to a nice dinner and…well I got us tickets to that show you’ve been wanting to see. I’m not saying this makes up for everything, I just wanted to do something nice for you.

Are you willing to: Distribute flyers, Talk to people about the environment, Wear ankle bracelets? (check all that apply)

I was walking into the student union sometime last week when a cute girl with short hair stepped up to me and asked me if I had a minute for the environment. Now normally I try to politely brush by people hawking their various causes on campus, but I guess I was feeling a little green that day and, like I said, the girl was kinda cute. So I stopped and asked what she meant. She had me at “summer job” . . . she had me at “summer job.” So I picked up a little brochure and singned up for an informational meeting and interview. The girl with short hair had the same name as my mom (the full version that my mom never uses unless she’s talking on the phone to some buisness that she has an account with).
I was actually pretty excited about the prospect of having a summer job that would look good on a resumé and give me some fond memories and good experience. So I was a little disapointed when the girl at the informational meeting (who didn’t have short hair) started talking about “canvasing.” When it was time for my interview, I mentioned that the idea of going door-to-door all summer asking people for money was repulsive and nerve-racking to me. The girl without short hair said that they could probably find another place for me, but that either way, I’d have to live in Chicago.

So we thanked each other. She told me to give them a call if I found a place to stay in Chicago and was still interested. I walked out the of YMCA, went home via public transportation and sat down at my Mac. I wondered for a few seconds about the environment and whether I’d make a good hippie. Then I microwaved some beef chillie and a hot dog and decided that it was better not to draw hard lines.

A Giant Coat, a Golden Eagle, and the Clash of Black on Blue

Now Playing: Kind of Blue by Miles Davis
Drinking: Earl Grey
Chillin’

Last night was a good night. My friends over at Illini Life put up their “Works” art show last night. Last year, Mel formed the group “Artists at Large” to do this kind of thing. They invited some artists from the community to come and show a few pieces before and after their church service. They want to start making art a larger part of the Christian culture. I’m all for that and the show looked good. Nice job, folks.

I checked out the show and then scurried off to the Armory Free Theater for Deke Weaver’s performance: “Other Animals.” The show blew me away, I loved it. Deke tells stories that are so wild and compelling that you can’t help but lean in and let your jaw hang open just a little bit. The stories aren’t always realistic, but they’re emotionally realistic in a way that’s hard to describe or make sense of. I wish I could tell you to go see the next show, but there aren’t any planned that I know of. I saw a show that he did in his home last semester and was equally impressed. If you hear of this man putting on a performance. Go see it. Cancel your dinner plans, reschedule your critical surgery, and for the love of god, don’t tap your feet on the risers during the performance…but go see the show.

Deke Weaver’s Glorious Self-Promotion

Sidenote: I saw this show with a friend from class and her roommate. Before the show I mentioned that I had been in band all my life and the roommate immediately comes back with “Trombone player?” [surprised pause] Wow, it really is that obvious isn’t it? Anyone have any band stereotypes or funny stories you’d like to share?

Well, the friend and the roommate went home, so I shuffled back over to Wohler’s Hall and met up with my friends after the service. Aparently my friend Jeff knew one of the artists showing her work in the show and a friend who was with her, so they were pleasently surprised to run into each other. They invited me along and the four of us went out to eat. The company, the conversation, and the cuisine were all in
top form. It was refreshing. After that, Jeff lent me his “Kind of Blue” CD and I was off to the Dawg Haüs.

What could be better than good people, good art, and good food?

-Typo

I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind.
Some come from ahead and some come from behind.
But I’ve bought a big bat. I’m all ready you see.
Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!

-Dr. Seuss

What are your…preferences?

I love Penny Arcade. I’ve been a regular reader for some time now and I recommend that everyone check it out. But I need to highlight today’s comic. It seems the guys over at Penny Arcade are trying something a little new. How sweet it is…

save for platform-dependent gaming I’ve used my own Mac for every computing task this week. What I have ascertained is not that PCs as we know them lack good design, but that PCs as we know them have hardly any design to speak of. I’m not trying to be insulting. Use a Mac for a week, and we’ll talk again.

-Tycho

Apple Update

It wasn’t going to be too long before I talked about it. Apple released some “fun new products” on Tuesday. Nothing face-melting, but interesting. One of them was the new Intel Mac Mini. Of course it’s a lot more powerful and comes with an Apple Remote and Front Row software. The price was bumped up to $599 and $799 for Intel Core Solo and Duo models respectively, but the base model now comes standard with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. I think it’d be cool to get for for our entertainment system, but I probably shouldn’t just buy $600 computers that I don’t need.

The other new product was the iPod HiFi. The HiFi is Apple jumping into the iPod speaker/dock market. They shot for the middle ground with a single-unit speaker that’s designed to appeal to audiophiles and weighing in at $349. The iPod goes into a dock on top of the box and can be controled with a remote or the new menu options that were included in the latest iPod update. Of course everyone jumped onto their blogs right after the announcement and proclaimed the failure of the HiFi. Cheap college students can’t afford it, it’s not high-end enough to replace full speaker systems, it looks dumb…you get the idea. My favorite was reading about how horrible the sound quality was from people who obviously have not listened to one. Check out this article about the wave of pessimism. Seems like it could be a good system for the right demographic. Personally, I’d be sold if it included it’s own on-board hard drive…

Also… Check your System Update for Security Updates as well as updates to iTunes, iPhoto, Front Row, and Garage Band.