Whatsfordinner, 3.31.2010.

Today Chicago saw it's first 70 degree temperature for 2010... which means the Webber grill gets pulled out. Hamburgers were consumed to celebrate Spring time! First I had to clean the grill... since I forgot to clean it before I put it away for the winter. Yep, there was some nasty food still stuck on it. Yuck.

Vienna Sausage Juice,

Anyone that rides public transportation has seen just about everything... and smelled just about everything... and heard just about everything. So today I am going to add to my list of firsts for my experiences on the L.

I was on the Brown L sitting by two women with two kids under the age of two (my guess on the ages). They were all eating cheese puffs and getting the cheesy-powder everywhere. Chomp, chomp, chomp. The older of the two little boys signaled that he wanted some more food, so one of the women took out a can of Vienna Sausages and opened it up. Certain foods (especially canned foods) have a funky smell, and Vienna Sausages are one of them. The smell was awful. It seemed to quickly consume my side of the train car, enough for me to cover my nose. I like tuna, but I would never open a can of it on the L. A few people got up and moved to the other side of the train. But wait - it gets better! The woman then proceeded to drink all of the juice in the can before giving the boy one of the sausages. Mmmm... Vienna Sausage meat juice. I gagged just a little, and then (thankfully) realized that my stop was next.

Do people just not think things through? Maybe this is all they could afford, or maybe the little boy really likes Vienna Sausage - but that is not the issue. The issue is having the respect of others not to open that up on public transportation... and not to drink some nasty-ass juice.

Cube.

In the past few weeks I've seen a couple Nissan Cubes on the road. Have you? They are truly a bizarre looking automobile. They look like a microwave. They might be the ugliest car made since the Pontiac Aztek (which will go down as one of the worst cars of all time). Why would someone buy a Cube? What am I missing here?

New bag.

Today I received an amazing gift from my brother in SF. He sent me a new bag. Since Spring is here, and in Chicago that means the beginning of the cycling season, every bike commuter needs a good bag. This bag has so many parts to it they did not include instructions - the company (Timbuk2) posted a video. I never thought I would own a backpack that I would need to watch a video to show me how to use it.

SXSW 2010.

YACHT at VEOBA's Carniville.

Another SXSW has passed and for me this year was so much different than those in the past. The two major differences were:
1. I only went for 52 hours, not 4-5 days like most years.
2. This was my first time away from Miles.

The nice thing about being super busy (meeting up with person after person after person), it kept my mind occupied and not being bummed out about missing LP and MO. The bad part about being super busy in Austin is I only got to see a few bands... not like most years when it seems like I saw 100 bands. Having missed SXSW last year I had talked myself into the idea that I was too old for SXSW and I was happy about not attending... I almost believed myself. It was good to go back, and hopefully next year I will make the trip once again.

Two things never change about SXSW:
1. Austin is nearly perfect in March.
2. It feels great to come home after SXSW.

Two things that happened during SXSW this year, but not at SXSW:
1. Alex Chilton died, and Big Star was supposed to play Saturday night.
2. My good friends AJ & Jason became parents to a beautiful baby boy.

A rare photo of me on this blog... with my pal Rob from PDX.

RIP Alex Chilton.

Children by the million sing for Alex Chilton when he comes 'round
They sing "I'm in love. What's that song?
I'm in love with that song."

Too bad he did not die in Memphis... because we know, that would of been cool.

Whatsfordinner, 3.13.2010.

Since Miles is going through a phase of not eating vegetables (except for broccoli), LP found a recipe for Lilly Pad Pancakes... pancakes made with peas. They sound nasty (maybe look nasty too), but remind me of falafel, and I actually enjoyed them. Miles did not. We will try again.

The L.

This morning I rode the L for the first time since last summer... which last summer I rode it only once. Since becoming a dad I go out a lot less, which means less trips on the buses and L's in Chicago. I used to walk to work, so being unemployed has had little effect on me taking the CTA less.

The strange thing about being on the L this morning... my first thought was: I wonder if someone is going to blow this up?!

Hello? What did I eat for breakfast? I don't even tend to think in that morbid way, but this morning my mind was fixed on some wacko blowing up my train. Such a positive way to begin the day. So I thought about it for a while and came to the realization that no one would blow up the Brown Line since it is an L.... they would most likely target the Red or Blue Lines since parts of those lines are subway. And that made me not worry anymore.

I believe that I left the house without my brain today since my logic was completely absent.

Shorts at 40.

I love that around this time each year when the temperature outside in Chicago reaches 40 there are always a few dudes wearing shorts. I am all for the shorts... but 40 degrees? Really? They must be single.

TV, update.

A few weeks ago I posted all of the television shows I follow... at least the list that is programed into my DVR. It was a little shocking to see how many shows I have set to record. I know I watch a good amount of television, but did not realize how much I "have" to watch.

So this week I made the first round of cuts. I am cutting out 7 of the 21 shows I follow (that's a third!), not bad for a first round:

The Secret Life of the American Teenager: TERRIBLE TV, but so addicting. I feel bad because I know I am about 25 years too old to be watching this show.
Ugly Betty: So sad it's getting cancelled, but it gets rid of one show for me.
Community: I've been thinking of dumping it, so I did.
Parks And Recreation: Not good enough to follow. Might watch an episode here or there, but will not record it.
It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia: I am surprised to say this... but I am getting tired of it. Next Fall I might add it back to my DVR list.
My Boys: Horrible, but I am addicted. I need to face my addiction and cut it.
10 Things I Hate About You: Another horrible show, but I watch it... no more! Gone

The one show I have added:
Parenthood: The first episode was this week and it was okay... not great. I still have high hope for this (so does NBC).

Winter.

Growing up in California I was never exposed to the kinds of brutal winters that Chicago sees. For the first few years in Chicago I loved the winter. Walking to work in subzero temperatures was fun. Yes, I said fun (technically typed). Snow only meant good times... snow angels, snow balls, walking in the snow. I did not really have to deal with the weather, I could just embrace it and enjoy it. My commute was on foot so my car did not take the daily pounding that winter can often bring.

Now with six Chicago winters behind me I am a tad bit jaded. Maybe jaded is not the right word. Now I get more excited when the weather forecasts are talking about temperatures in the 40's (or even just above freezing). I now have to deal with the weather... from spending cold days inside trying to keep a toddler occupied, to driving around town trying to find something for a toddler to do. Each time going to the car, or getting out of a car, there are layers to be zipped, snapped, and tightened. There are so many extra things to do in the winter for a baby/toddler that I often find myself just staying at home. Then miserable with cabin fever.

This weekend it is supposed to get into the 40's in Chicago and I could not be more excited. I still have a fondness for winter, I just do not see it they way I did when I moved to Chicago in 2004.