Feb

Feb. is a big month for our small family... my wife continues to blow my mind with her crusade to add beauty to this weary and god forsaken land. She will be showing in NY in a couple of weeks. visit www.jessicamdennis.com (should up after 2/25) to see her work

We saw Antony and the Johnsons for Valantines... they was good.

Psychology continues to be interesting... they say this is the semester that kicks your ass. I'm still waiting.

Church has been interesting. Jessica and I have enjoyed settling into it.

I am watching The Wire... and enjoying it. It reminds me of a novel, like a book but instead I watch it.

Corruption is an amazing thing. It makes me chuckle; seeing my Governor get arrested for corrupt behavior: The feds tapped his phones... and he said lots of crazy shit... then got arrested. coulda been an episode out of The Wire.

Is it funny? I don't know... I thought so.

Finals loom over head...

They say: 'boo!'

I say: 'oh shit, you fucken scared me'

I postpone writing on death, identity, finding meaning and God...

the evolution of life is fascinating... how and what did we do to find ourselves in this place... for me: at my dining room table, in my home, with books and apple pie by my side. my dog, eating a bone. my cat, drinking my dog's water. I wonder about decisions and how they are made. decisions made by feelings that can't be trusted... makes for a tricky existence of who done its and crisis meetings... yes, always crisis.

The pendulum will continue to swing... back and forth, back and forth, back again... yes, always back again.

The Search

is on.

phonesuckcuzidontanswereversoItoosuckalittle

the red chair sitteth in the corner of my room. all alone, not sad but alone. it never gets sat on.

I'm happy about the Oscar results, though i truly loved There Will Be Blood... I thought Old Country for Old Men was fantastically put together and deserved the award. Though i was sad for Paul Anderson whom I also love. He'll be fine, I'm sure.

just so all of you know. I am procrastinating.

hi

Sweet mercies, its cold. -1 to be precise, and its February... damn it. woosh.

well, finishing up my school apps. in position and ready to pounce.

i'm off speed. which is good.

theres a lady friend. we are rockin and rolling to the toons of life. she paints. and does book covers.

im bartending and serving. it can be fun.

Chicagos fun.

i smoked hookah a few days ago and i fear i may have lost a lunge.

tonight was the last of 4 nights of wilco shows in chicago where they played every song they ever wrote. i missed all the shows and am sad. i like wilco.

Sam Adams

boston beer company makes sam adams summer ale.
which happends to be a wheat ale brewed with lemon and grains of paradise.
which makes enjoying a sam adams summer ale in a field of grains of paradise quite appropriate.
today i studied and studied and, well, i'm not remembering much. i attribute this dillema to two possible reasons. 1st, end of day brain fatigue. seems possible. 2nd, my genes which don't allow me to retain more data than absolutely necessary to survive. which seems to have some historical accuracy. all this is cute and fun and, quite honestly, doesn't bother me. i'll work somewhere really great that requires minimal data storage.
the obvious question being... why the hell am i getting into the world of education that seems to demand enormous amounts of data recall when i can't retain shit? What could have possibly compelled me to head in this direction?
i do believe the answer is the glory of success. all the high-fives... the celebrity that so naturally comes with being educated. the enormous amounts of money which inevitably will come which, of course, translates into pure joy and a happiness that passes all understanding. and i will be the evolutionary product of power. flexing my unmeasurable muscles for the world to see. Culminating with my people singing songs of worship to me and in all my greatness i will smile down upon them and say, 'no, do not praise me. praise Jesus, for he is worthy to be praised.'... and the sun would shine down, we would lie in fields of grain paradise drinking sam adams summer ale and have a huge affirmation session.

For The Record

I'm an Immigrant.

Tuesday Night

I think I will enjoy several cold adult beverages this evening...

and i will grill salmon, place it over spinach, add mandarin orange slices, perhaps toss some freshly baked almond slices in and finally, shower it with some pre-made, exotic, Asian dressing...

and then i will read about a childs developing brain.... etc. etc.
and then i will do statistics homework.

all the while i watch game 3 of the NBA finals... occasionally viewing the status of my FBB team, which looks to be off to a rough start today.

and then i will go to bed and read about the life of a hermaphrodite in Eugenides' Middlesex, and conclude the evening by slowly drifting into sweet, blissful sleep.

or maybe... just maybe... i'll skip it all and go to sleep now....

The Easy Life

The ultimate test of successful living is underway. Summer has begun and i will try doing school. For those who are not accustom to life in the mid-west. Winters are terrible and last for 5 months. nothing happens in those 5 months. people cocoon. The ground thaws and people squeeze 12 months of fun and joy into 7 warm months and 2 hotter than hell months. Summer begins and with that I will try and tackle 2 classes at the local community college... also known as college of dupage... also known as the largest community college in the world... its true. But not to worry, I will precariously balance joyful living and productive school attending.

The joy of summer... the television has taken a break... and the wheat beers are flowing. My fun reading has increased.
I completed The Road by Cormac McCarthy, Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut, and A Farewell To Arms by Hemingway, and currently reading Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides... I believe there has been an increase to my reading because I have decided I don't HAVE to watch conan o'brien show or Jimmey Kimmel Live and I'm not married and so I can have beers and read, followed by my nightly shower, followed by reading in bed. and the result is reading.
I am not on an anti-war kick... though I am not a fan of war... the first three books I read this summer are all more or less anti-war books. All three were absolutely gorgeous books and after each I took a day and marinated in the mind blowing literature I had the fortune of running into.
aside from that I plan on hitting up the local pool. seeing fun music shows in Chicago. and joining the local tennis club.... and hosting fantastic friends on their way through to Europe...

I encourage any of you experiencing the joy of reading my blog to please purchase tickets to Chicago and come visit me. we will have fun. i promise.

Oh Chester!

I have recently acquired two Persian cats (Chester 5 yrs, Galina 7 yrs). I thought it might be a good idea as I live alone and in need of some company. I have not determined whether it was a brilliant move or just really stupid. I have never had cats or pets really, so this is my first go around with them. So far they've been good and not so good.

positives:

- companionship... I thought cats were supposed to be independent and moody, not these two... they can't get enough love. I watch a movie, Galina plants herself on my person and refuses to move.
- laughter... they make me laugh a lot. they're crazy.
- they're just cool.

negatives:

- They're everywhere... i can't walk without almost stepping on one, we end up scarring the shit out of each other... literally.
- lots of hair... everywhere (not mine)
- they shit- and i have to pick it up.

we'll see. the adventure has just begun.

in other news. I got really excited about my summer reading and purchased some literature from Amazon, (which I have recently frequented much)

books I will read soon, very soon:

The Road by Cormac McCarthy
Slaughter House Five and Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by JK Rowling

I am really, really excited about The Road.... really excited.