What To Do

I just heard that Obama is planning on having his celebration party in Grant Park in Chicago on Tuesday night. The question is: should I go?

Pro:

1. I could hear Obama speak in person.
2. Grant Park is very close to my house.
3. It's a unique event that a lot of people don't get the opportunity to take part in.
4. I have nothing better to do.

Cons:

1. The party is outside so I'd freeze to death.
2. It is estimated that 2 MILLION people will show up. That means I'll be trampled,I won't see a thing, and getting home will be a bitch.


So loyal readers, tell me what I should do.

Undecided Voters

I didn't think these people really existed. The Daily Show did a great bit on them but I thought, there's no way they're out and about, dressing themselves, driving cars, and maintaining jobs. Until I met one last night!

I asked how she could possibly be undecided. The response: "I just want more time so I can hear more from the candidates." When pressed whether she would actually vote: "No, I never vote, politics is such bullshit. I hate politicians, they all lie."

I could go on a never-ending rant but instead I'll post this great quote:

“I look at these people and can't quite believe that they exist. Are they professional actors? I wonder. Or are they simply laymen who want a lot of attention? To put them in perspective, I think of being on an airplane. The flight attendant comes down the aisle with her food cart and, eventually, parks it beside my seat. "Can I interest you in the chicken?" she asks. "Or would you prefer the platter of shit with bits of broken glass in it? To be undecided in this election is to pause for a moment and then ask how the chicken is cooked."

- Author David Sedaris, on undecided voters

I Just Want A Cup of Tea

I was sick of being cooped up in my mini-office all day, so I ventured out with my laptop to grab a cup of tea at a coffee shop to do some work (how very yuppie of me, I know). It turned out to be quite the challenge.

My favourite tea shop was packed so I couldn't sit anywhere. I went further down the street to this crazy European place. The dude behind the counter said I couldn't pay with credit card but could pay with a debit card. However, he only accepts Chase bank accounts, not Bank of America. He told me to go buy something at Walgreens (translation: Shoppers) and get cashback. Eff that. Who's heard of people selectively accepting say, TD debit cards but not Scotiabank debit cards?

So I went FURTHER down the street to Caribou Coffee and asked the dude what he accepted. He said ANY bank account! So I handed over my ATM card and ordered an apple cider. After several tries he told me my card didn't work because it's an ATM card. I said, "yyyeeeessss......?". He said "you can't pay for things with ATM cards, only debit cards." Aren't they the same thing you ask? No. One is for taking money out of bank machines, the other is for paying for stuff. So I rummaged around in my wallet and found an almost identical card that said "debit" which finally worked.

So, after about half an hour of dicking around, I have finally sat down to write my essay. I am sitting beside a fireplace and drinking what is possibly the finest apple cider I have ever had. Aside from the crazy/homeless man that just sat down beside me, I am in good shape for some serious productivity. If I could stop blogging that is...

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Update: Crazy/homeless guy fully has a cell phone! *And* it's way better than my cheap ass piece of crap. It's one of those tilt ones with the built-in keyboard! Amazing.

Chicago History Lesson

I'm currently reading a book about the history of Chicago and came across some hilarious anecdotes during the formation of the city. Land was apparently very expensive yet it was being snatched up like crazy. However, there was doubt as to whether the city would ever get on its feet and become anything significant.

The future first mayor of Chicago, William R. Ogden, came to look after a relative's $100,000 real estate investment in the mid-1830's:

"After standing ankle deep in mud while surveying the property he wrote back sadly: 'You have been guilty of the grossest folly.'"

As you may know, the Chicago River runs through downtown Chicago and roughly separates the north and south side. As well, there are ongoing issues between Southsiders and Northsiders in terms of baseball (Sox versus Cubs) and socioeconomic status to name just two. I'm amused to find out how far back these differences go. During Chicago's formative years, there were no bridges, and citizens had to take rowboats across the river to get to the other side. However, in 1834, the Dearborn Street Drawbridge was built to connect the settlements on either side of the river...

"However, the Northsiders felt it helped the Sorth Side too much. Southsiders felt it helped the North Side too much, and when the city council ordered its demolition in 1839, they arose before the next dawn and brought it down with axes."

*poof*

*poof*

Fax Machine Anthem, Get Your Damn Hands Up!

Last night I saw BECK perform a sold out show at the beautiful Aragon Ballroom. The building which was built in the 20s had a massive domed ceiling painted with what looked like the milky way galaxy complete with twinkling stars. Beck was amazing (as per) and I have re-pledged my love to him. He reworked many old songs including a cool 3-song set using only hand-held electronic gizmos making bleepy-bloopy sounds while he rapped. There were no oversized stereos or bears this time, but he did have massive 20s style lights like the ones they use on movie sets. Highlight: a solo slide guitar blues intro to Loser which demonstrated what a talented guitarist he is. Unfortunately, I couldn't get any pictures of him because they wouldn't let cameras into the venue :(

Another neato touch was a gigantic light screen behind the stage. It mostly showed random swirls and such. Later in the show it showed a live video feed of the concert and displayed Beck in pseudo-LiteBrite glory. In sum, the show was awesome, lively, and very Beck. At one point he said to the crowd:

"I'm just going to ask one question tonight...*falsetto* can we take it hiiiiggghhheeerrr?

Skrabel

This is totally random but the other night I was playing scrabble with some friends and we got a little creative...