It dawned on me a few minutes ago that I've lived in this apartment for five years.
While most of me loves the hope and freshness of moving, at some stage in the process I always get very blue. I recognize the feelings of hope and anticipation as being the same as the last time I moved. I'll be standing in an empty room and feeling excited about the dinner parties and visits and happy moments I'll likely have there and remember having that same feeling in an empty room I just moved out of. I'll wonder who will sleep in my new room with me, if I'll always live in my new apartment alone and if this will be the last place I live alone ... and then remember I wondered that in my last apartment too.
And then I usually contemplate just how bad the water pressure will be, whether or not there will be ants in the kitchen and what I should do about my old curtains not fitting my new windows.
Life moves on.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
I'm like a one-eyed cat, peepin' in a sea-food store ....
Call me crazy but I love packing. I wander around the house and look at stuff; I listen to music. What's not to love? During the day I have big pots of tea and at night I open a bottle of wine.
I'm also playing the "100 Things" game where I have to get rid of 100 things. I keep a log of things I get rid of in my journal on another site where I visit a group of online friends I've had since .... 2003? I'm secretly hoping it will be 200 things or maybe even 300 things. My new apartment is bigger but I like a less cluttered place. My desire for the "Museum of Round" and collection of burned out tubes battles with my desire for Japanese simplicity flair.
My success is mixed. I did a good job getting rid of a dozen mystery paperbacks and yet I just packed up a bunch of beeswax candle stubs. You know, for the next time I melt them down to make a new candle.
The kitchen is turning out to be an epic failure. I've inherited the trait for emotional connections to dishes from my mom and sister. And the cookbooks are silly, I have not gotten rid of one even though I rarely use them.
I'm posting photos of some of my favorites and listening to Catherine Russell doing Kitchen Man.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
I'm ridiculous tonight
I've found a new apartment and will be moving the first week of June.
I'll talk about the place later, but tonight I am wandering around and feeling disconnected from where I live but not yet in the new place. It's too early to really pack and I have no boxes anyway. Even so, I am antsy and want to get started with some sort of cleaning/readiness project.
This mostly consists of wandering from room to room with my step ladder, looking at what I have on top shelves ... with a glass of wine in my hand and singing the following snippets:
ju ju eyeballs
nah nah na-na-na-na
nah ha
fEEt down BEEELOW his knees
(pause)
dun dun dOOO dOOO dUHHHHH
wah
dun dun
(pause)
nah nah nah crACKpot
lola bah bah bah wop wop
TOE JAM FOOTBALL
oh yeah
MONKEY FINGER
(pause)
hAIr down below his Kneeees
got to be a joker blah blah
do what he please
I've finally put myself out of my own misery by listening to the song and doing a sing along.
Did I mention there is also dance that involves kicking my right leg out periodically and doing exaggerated butt thrusts? It's a good night to be me.
I'll talk about the place later, but tonight I am wandering around and feeling disconnected from where I live but not yet in the new place. It's too early to really pack and I have no boxes anyway. Even so, I am antsy and want to get started with some sort of cleaning/readiness project.
This mostly consists of wandering from room to room with my step ladder, looking at what I have on top shelves ... with a glass of wine in my hand and singing the following snippets:
ju ju eyeballs
nah nah na-na-na-na
nah ha
fEEt down BEEELOW his knees
(pause)
dun dun dOOO dOOO dUHHHHH
wah
dun dun
(pause)
nah nah nah crACKpot
lola bah bah bah wop wop
TOE JAM FOOTBALL
oh yeah
MONKEY FINGER
(pause)
hAIr down below his Kneeees
got to be a joker blah blah
do what he please
I've finally put myself out of my own misery by listening to the song and doing a sing along.
Did I mention there is also dance that involves kicking my right leg out periodically and doing exaggerated butt thrusts? It's a good night to be me.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Monday, May 3, 2010
Eat to the Beat
I am super excited.
To celebrate the fact that, as of today, I am debt free and have six months of emergency savings in my account, I decided to blow some cash. I signed up to attend this fundraising event:
Thursday, May 27th at 7 p.m. at Blackbird
Join Sound Opinions co-hosts Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot for one-of-a-kind experience celebrating the two best things in life: Food and Music.
Chefs Paul Kahan of Blackbird and The Publican and Mindy Segal of Hot Chocolate are preparing a spectacular multi-course dinner inspired by Jim and Greg's musical choices.
Courses will be expertly paired with wine provided by Lush Wine and Spirits.
And the conversation will be provided by you!
Your XXX donation covers one guest and gratuity. A portion of your donation is tax deductible, and all proceeds benefit Sound Opinions and Chicago Public Radio.
Blackbird is located at 619 West Randolph in Chicago.
Limited seats are available, so early reservations are recommended.
Sound Opinions is the world’s only rock and roll talk show hosted by prominent music writers Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot. Jim DeRogatis is a lecturer at Columbia College in Chicago and writes about music and culture for Vocalo.org. He previously spent 15 years as the pop music critic at the Chicago Sun-Times. Greg Kot has been the music critic at the Chicago Tribune since 1990.
Paul Kahan is the Executive Chef/Partner of Blackbird, Big Star, Avec and The Publican. Kahan was honored by his selection as a James Beard nominee for Outstanding Chef in 2007 and 2009 and winner of James Beard Best Chef of the Midwest in 2004. Passionately seasonal, unconventionally creative and dedicated to the inspiration of classical cuisine, Kahan has earned the praise of many who claim him to be one of America’s most influential working chefs.
Mindy Segal is pastry creator specializing in contemporary American cuisine, placing a modern twist on traditional classics. After refining her craft as pastry chef at such prestigious venues as Spago, Charlie Trotter’s and Ambria, Segal launched her solo venture, Hot Chocolate Restaurant and Dessert Bar in Chicago. She is the recipient of the Jean Banchet award for Best Celebrity Pastry Chef in Chicago, Chicago Magazine’s Pastry Chef of the Year and the James Beard Foundation nomination for Outstanding Pastry Chef in the Country in 2007, 2008 and 2009.
Lush Wine & Spirits features artisanal wine, beer, and spirits from around the globe. With three neighborhood shops, Roscoe Village, West Town, and the University Village, Lush Wines and Spirits quenches thirst seven days a week.
I download Sound Opinions every week and listen to tons of public radio. I don't always love the opinions expressed on Sound Opinions but I love the fact that people are thinking about music in smart ways and talking about it. I've learned about bands from the show and remembered old favorites.
The last few times my sister has come to visit, we've had great meals at Hot Chocolate but I've never been to any of Paul Kahan's places. I'm excited to see what talented chefs come up with when inspired by music.
Oh, and there will be wine there too!
To celebrate the fact that, as of today, I am debt free and have six months of emergency savings in my account, I decided to blow some cash. I signed up to attend this fundraising event:
Thursday, May 27th at 7 p.m. at Blackbird
Join Sound Opinions co-hosts Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot for one-of-a-kind experience celebrating the two best things in life: Food and Music.
Chefs Paul Kahan of Blackbird and The Publican and Mindy Segal of Hot Chocolate are preparing a spectacular multi-course dinner inspired by Jim and Greg's musical choices.
Courses will be expertly paired with wine provided by Lush Wine and Spirits.
And the conversation will be provided by you!
Your XXX donation covers one guest and gratuity. A portion of your donation is tax deductible, and all proceeds benefit Sound Opinions and Chicago Public Radio.
Blackbird is located at 619 West Randolph in Chicago.
Limited seats are available, so early reservations are recommended.
Sound Opinions is the world’s only rock and roll talk show hosted by prominent music writers Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot. Jim DeRogatis is a lecturer at Columbia College in Chicago and writes about music and culture for Vocalo.org. He previously spent 15 years as the pop music critic at the Chicago Sun-Times. Greg Kot has been the music critic at the Chicago Tribune since 1990.
Paul Kahan is the Executive Chef/Partner of Blackbird, Big Star, Avec and The Publican. Kahan was honored by his selection as a James Beard nominee for Outstanding Chef in 2007 and 2009 and winner of James Beard Best Chef of the Midwest in 2004. Passionately seasonal, unconventionally creative and dedicated to the inspiration of classical cuisine, Kahan has earned the praise of many who claim him to be one of America’s most influential working chefs.
Mindy Segal is pastry creator specializing in contemporary American cuisine, placing a modern twist on traditional classics. After refining her craft as pastry chef at such prestigious venues as Spago, Charlie Trotter’s and Ambria, Segal launched her solo venture, Hot Chocolate Restaurant and Dessert Bar in Chicago. She is the recipient of the Jean Banchet award for Best Celebrity Pastry Chef in Chicago, Chicago Magazine’s Pastry Chef of the Year and the James Beard Foundation nomination for Outstanding Pastry Chef in the Country in 2007, 2008 and 2009.
Lush Wine & Spirits features artisanal wine, beer, and spirits from around the globe. With three neighborhood shops, Roscoe Village, West Town, and the University Village, Lush Wines and Spirits quenches thirst seven days a week.
I download Sound Opinions every week and listen to tons of public radio. I don't always love the opinions expressed on Sound Opinions but I love the fact that people are thinking about music in smart ways and talking about it. I've learned about bands from the show and remembered old favorites.
The last few times my sister has come to visit, we've had great meals at Hot Chocolate but I've never been to any of Paul Kahan's places. I'm excited to see what talented chefs come up with when inspired by music.
Oh, and there will be wine there too!
Hall & Oates All Over
Everywhere I turn I find Hall and Oates lately.
One of my readers has suggested that when I am done with jumpsuits I might want to explore music mustaches and John Oates would be the man to beat. I went to Lala the other week and my friend C. had been listening to a Hall and Oates tribute album. Saturday I had a long conversation about the album H2O.
I do not have one H&O song on my iPod and I'm going to remedy that before my Soldier Field 10 Mile run.
Whooa Ohhhh here they come ....
One of my readers has suggested that when I am done with jumpsuits I might want to explore music mustaches and John Oates would be the man to beat. I went to Lala the other week and my friend C. had been listening to a Hall and Oates tribute album. Saturday I had a long conversation about the album H2O.
I do not have one H&O song on my iPod and I'm going to remedy that before my Soldier Field 10 Mile run.
Whooa Ohhhh here they come ....
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Life and Flowers
Life has gotten in the way of ....life.
I've had no time for any of the fun things I like to do day to day. I am behind on returning phone calls and text messages, I've missed several weeks of sewing studio, I have not been to yoga in weeks, I have made no progress on my Ozzy or my David Bowie biographies, and I have not written here since before taxes were due.
On the plus side, I am really looking forward to May and sticking close to home. Thursday I ordered used copies of all the editions of Da Capo Best Music Writing and I already have 2000. 2002 and 2009 in hand
May also has May Crowning, my favorite church music season after Lent.
Hail Holy Queen Enthroned Above
Immaculate Mary
On This Day, O Beautiful Mother
Dear Lady of Fatima
and best of all
Bring Flowers of the Rarest.
May Crowning also has some of the worst music though .. like that horrible Hail Mary, Gentle Woman song. My 8th grade boyfriend had to wear a yellow robe and do a liturgical dance to that one.
I was not the 1983 May Queen at my school. I was not even selected to be in the May Queen's court. I think the dirty looks I was giving to the crazy ex-nun who hated rock 'n roll, my feathered hair, and my tendency to wear purple eye shadow after school disqualified me.
I was in the choir though and, if I do say so myself, our songs were way better than this fruity one.
I've had no time for any of the fun things I like to do day to day. I am behind on returning phone calls and text messages, I've missed several weeks of sewing studio, I have not been to yoga in weeks, I have made no progress on my Ozzy or my David Bowie biographies, and I have not written here since before taxes were due.
On the plus side, I am really looking forward to May and sticking close to home. Thursday I ordered used copies of all the editions of Da Capo Best Music Writing and I already have 2000. 2002 and 2009 in hand
May also has May Crowning, my favorite church music season after Lent.
Hail Holy Queen Enthroned Above
Immaculate Mary
On This Day, O Beautiful Mother
Dear Lady of Fatima
and best of all
Bring Flowers of the Rarest.
May Crowning also has some of the worst music though .. like that horrible Hail Mary, Gentle Woman song. My 8th grade boyfriend had to wear a yellow robe and do a liturgical dance to that one.
I was not the 1983 May Queen at my school. I was not even selected to be in the May Queen's court. I think the dirty looks I was giving to the crazy ex-nun who hated rock 'n roll, my feathered hair, and my tendency to wear purple eye shadow after school disqualified me.
I was in the choir though and, if I do say so myself, our songs were way better than this fruity one.
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