Dream Chicago

Total bummer, I have to miss this, but if you're in Chicago, you don't!

Steppenwolf is putting on a show of Chicago-centric stories in Millenium Park at the Pritzker, September 8, at 8:00 pm for free! Martha Lavey will be performing my story, Jesse Jackson, He Lives in Chicago, and she's a superstar, and did such an amazing job with my story Football for Selected Shorts.

Here's a linky.

There's a very cool green beetle on my window who just flew in to insist you go see it!

Last-minute crafts

'Cause, you know, I didn't have enough to do what with getting ready for Texas and all - but actually I saw these little rag bracelets on whipup.net and they take about three minutes to make and I have absurd amounts of scraps around.

Talk Show

When I was in college my friend Karen and I used to amuse ourselves by pretending we were on a talk show, usually David Susskind. I was usually Jordan Brooks, famous person.

That has nothing to do with this, really. Just something fun to check out.

You Kill Me

Ben and I watched this the other night and I had low expectations mostly because as much as I think Ben Kingsley is a great actor, he tends to be in movies I don't like or want to see (one notable exception: House of Sand and Fog). Please don't hate on me for not loving Sexy Beast, 'cuz I know there's going to be a comment that says Did you see Sexy Beast? and the answer is yes I did see Sexy Beast and I didn't love it.

Anyway, this movie You Kill Me was a lovely surprise, as you might expect from a romantic comedy about an alcoholic hit man. But it was really funny and Kingsley was great and there you have it. I'll try not to judge a Ben Kingsley movie anymore before I see it.

Dark Movies and Lunch

So we went to see The Dark Knight the other night and I actually liked it just fine even though the four of us who went agreed that maybe the last half hour had a little more going on than was necessary in terms of hostage-holding and storylines and such, not to mention that the last half hour was maybe a half hour extra of Dark Knight than was really needed given it was getting near ten o clock and you know where I like to be at that hour. Anyhoo, I wasn't dying to see it except for wanting to see Heath Ledger, who totally lives up to the hype, I say, and I couldn't help feeling a little sad about not seeing what he'd have done with the rest of his career after this and Brokeback Mountain. But that's not why I'm here. I'm here because as a rule, I'm just not into movies that are dark. Dark themes, fine. Dark-ness, not so much. I like to be able to see what's in the picture. Also, me, I like a movie with a woman in it. That's a bit tangential, this movie has a woman in it, but as another rule, some of these big movies are very dude-heavy. I like a movie with a woman in it. Also, as a meal, I don't care much for dinner. I prefer lunch. I had two fantastic dinners at Lula in the last few days, but I'd just assume have had them earlier in the day. That's all I'm saying.

A rule

If you live in a city, or are in a city, you are not allowed to wear a shirt that bears the name of that city.

So, if you go visit a city, and you buy a t-shirt that bears the name of that city, you are only allowed to wear that shirt after you return to your own city.

Exception, sort of: You are allowed to wear t-shirts that bear the name of sports teams from your own city. I mean, I wouldn't. But you can.

Jeff Koons

Whoa. I can't do this painting justice here because it is billboard sized. And this is the tame one in the series. So you'll just have to go see it yourself.

Ben and I went to the Jeff Koons show at the MCA yesterday. Intense.

Make It Stop!

Do you ever just get the feeling like the world thinks there's only one thing going on, because it's so omnipresent that it just seems like an endless loop that will only stop when the next thing the world thinks is the only thing going on comes around? Because lately when I turn on the TV or the internets, this is all I see: Miley Cyrus. Miley Cyrus. Miley Cyrus. Miley Cyrus. Miley Cyrus. Miley Cyrus Miley Cyrus Miley Cyrus Miley Cyrus. Miley Miley Miley Cyrus Cyrus Cyrus. Miley Miley Miley Miley Hannah Montana Miley Cyrus Miley Cyrus Miley Cyrus. Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley Miley MileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMiley
MileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMiley
MileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMiley Jonas Brothers. MileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyJonas Brothers.
MileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMiley
MileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMiley
MileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMiley
MileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMiley
MileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMiley
MileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMileyMiley
MileyMileyMileyMileyMiley Cyrus. Jonas Brothers. Miley Cyrus.

Ben Brandt at Lula

Two great things in one:

Ben Brandt + Cafe Lula

2537 N. Kedzie
Closed Tuesday



The show will be up through November 4!

The paintings are for sale!

The food is yummy!

Join Me Tuesday Night for a Farewell Quickie

Quickies! The reading series! Started by one of my awesome students! Get your mind out of the gutter, what did you think I meant?


August 12
Innertown Pub
1935 W Thomas
Chicago, IL
7:30pm

Ta Da!

This is the rug I made. I made a rug. There is a dog on it. That is our dog. I did not make him.