– from a store window on Damen.
June 17, 2007
June 16, 2007
Honeyboy Edwards
Living blues legend David “Honeyboy” Edwards performing at Blues on the Fox in Aurora, IL.
June 9, 2007
Sox vs. Astros – TV Game #15
You might have noticed that I skipped game #14. Well, not really. Actually, I was too disgusted to take the scoreboard photo and post about it. Being a Sox fan is tough right now. The Sox have lost 11 out of their last 13 games! Yes, you read that correctly. We are now 5 games under .500. And things don’t look to be getting any better. Sure, we have several key players on the DL like Erstad and Crede (my favorite). But, it’s really been our bullpen that has fallen apart. Which makes watching Sox games very frustrating. You watch for nearly three hours as the Sox hold the opposing team to only a few runs. And then when the starter pitcher starts to get tired and is replaced, we get slaughtered in the final innings.
Take a look at the scoreboard photo again. See anything odd about it? Despite being the losing home team, there are fireworks going off in the sky. I suppose the supply must be backing up. Or perhaps, the crew just figured they had no idea when our next home game win would be, so we might as well fire them off for the mere “awe” aspect. Sox manager Ozzie Guillen comments, “Did you stay for the fireworks? I hope they were better than the game.”
Guillen added, “They boo after the game, and they should. I don’t blame people for booing me. They pay to watch a good ballgame and they go back home disappointed. I do, too. White Sox fans are not proud right now to be a White Sox fan. I want them to feel proud and make those fans come to the game happier, regardless of whether we lose or win.”
What are we Cubs fans?
(Actually, fans of the Cubbies finally have something to cheer about. Ever since manager Lou Piniella was suspended for, well, being Piniella, the Cubs have been on a winning streak. Currently, they’re 2nd in the Central National League, five games behind first place Milwaukee Brewers.)
Guillen concluded, “We are not a team just to come here and make the fans be happy about their Mullet [Night] or Dog Day or the fireworks nights. We are a team that is supposed to be in the playoffs. This is a team to compete and it’s just not there.”
Ugh.
June 8, 2007
For those about to rock…
Remember a few weeks ago when I mentioned that I worked on a shoot with Dave Mustaine of Megadeth for Dean Guitars? Well, you can now watch two edited clips from that shoot here. They’re the first two, labeled “Glen Drover Interview” and “Dave Mustaine Interview”. Rock on!
(Also, you can watch clips from a show called Game Head on SpikeTV. Here is a link to the episode “Buck Hunter Creators Play Mechanix” that I worked on. Warning: You might have to update your browser for SpikeTV.com to load properly.)
June 6, 2007
June 5, 2007
The day before today…
I think we can all get behind a Sox victory over the Yankees. It was still frustrating that three of the Yankees’ runs came in the 9th inning. Oh well, Sox win!
After watching the game, I got on the bus to check out Eliot Lipp who was performing at one of the free Monday night shows at the Empty Bottle. When I told Apryl that it was probably just going to be a guy in front of his laptop, she showed her lack of interest with a fake yawn.
I was a big fan of Lipp’s last album Tacoma Mockingbird, which I often played in the background while I would be working on other things. At the show, the beats were less relaxed than those heard on Mockingbird. Instead, it was more of a DJ set with heavy beats for the kids to dance to. My friend Trey walked over from his new place (which is probably 100 yards from the Bottle) to hang out with me and have a beer. He told me that it was his first “laptop” show, which I’m not sure was a high endorsement. We joked that Lipp’s beats were are all preset, and that he was actually playing computer games and iChattin’ with his DJ partner. Still, I enjoyed myself, especially hearing my favorite “Rap Tight”.
Lymbyc Systm headlined the show. A duo from Arizona, the group creates a lot of sound despite the lack of man power. The songs on their albums remind me of The Album Leaf or Explosions in the Sky though last night’s performance was more on the lines of Tortoise. It was probably the largest crowd of the free Monday shows that I’ve attended. Photos below:
June 2, 2007
Memphis in May
Last week, Apryl and I (and Eva, of course) trekked over 500 miles back to Memphis for a little Memorial Day vacation. We enjoyed spending time with our family and friends. We look forward to seeing many of you up here real soon. Below are some photos from our trip (none of which come from the Memphis In May festival):
When in doubt on how to get back home, there’s always a FedEx truck that will show you the way!
We had already planned on trying to make it back to Memphis in time to say “hello” to our WEVL friends during the South Main Trolley Tour, but when I heard about the Memphis Zombie Attack, we knew we would definitely have to wake up early to make it to Memphis in time for the Trolley Tour. The “Attack” consisted of hundreds of men, women, and children made up as zombies, sluggishly walking from Beale St. to the intersection of South Main and G.E. Patterson, attacking folks along the way. That is, folks who wished to become a part of the undead. If you wanted to be attacked, or zombified, you were told to attach duct tape to your shirt. Below is an illustration explaining the rules:
Of course, I had to be zombified!
So I made sure that I left the zombies a clear message to that fact.
Above, I’m getting attacked pretty nicely, with my clothes being torn and fake blood doused on me.
Yep, they got me good. And as you can see, I’m enjoying the madness. (Note: The hole in the jeans was already there.)
Below, are a series of photos of the zombies I took afterwards (before running into Brad and Robyn who themselves were documenting the event).
(Note: Zombie with water bottle.)
(Note: I love the kid’s reaction to easily the most gruesome of the zombies.)
After the Zombie Attack, we ran into many of our friends during the trolley tour. A few photos from the non-zombie part of the evening:
Ansley volunteers at the merchandise table outside of the WEVL radio station.
Apryl runs into her friends Jennifer and Caroline.
Our friends Brandon and Greg rock it out as Jump Back Jake.
We also ran into our friends Judy, Brian, Brad, Robyn, Paul, Summer, David, Gina, and Howell. Afterwards, we had dinner with Brad and Robyn at Hueys. Good night!
After several nights staying with family and meeting up with friends (including dinner with John and Julie), I decided to visit my dad who works in West Point, Mississippi, and stays at the Hotel Chester in Starksville. But before that, I traveled a little farther south to visit my grandmother in Meridian, Mississippi, at her assisted living apartment. I met her for lunch, and then we hung out in her apartment for a few hours. It was great getting to see her and her friends. I don’t get the chance to see her that often, so it was nice spending time with her.
I have always been fascinated with her paintings, which she did at least ten years ago. She had had no formal training when a group of her friends decided that they would start a sort of art club. Without a teacher, the group relied on each other for constructive criticism. My grandmother’s paintings usually dealt with her surroundings living in the Mississippi Delta. Below are some of her work:
(Note: Obviously, the mountains give this one away as one of the few of her paintings not depicting the region.)
After my grandmother’s classes ended, she gave up painting. Though before I left, she mentioned that a canvas and easel were in the closet and perhaps she should start it up again. I hope that she does.
I left my grandmother’s and made it way back up 45 towards Starksville and the Hotel Chester.
Above is the historic Hotel Chester in downtown Starksville.
That night my dad and I had some tasty Mediterranean food at Shaherazad’s. My dad wasn’t too familiar with the cuisine but knew that I enjoyed it and thought it was the perfect time for him to try it out. We ordered two à la carte dishes of baba ganoush, tabboule, hummus, roasted vegetables, spinach pies, and…
… yummy zatter bread!
My dad sitting on a bench full of pillows.
On our last night in Memphis, we had dinner with one of my oldest friends Brian and his wife, Michelle, and his young son, Joe. I’m so glad that we were able to all get together. As well as have some tasty Pete and Sam’s.
It was great getting to see so many friends and family on our trip. I only wish we could have seen everyone!
Goodbye, Memphis!
Note: The White Sox lost every single game while we were away. The first game after we got back home, they beat the Blue Jays 3-0. Hmm.
May 22, 2007
Sox vs. A’s – TV Game #12
1. Tonight, I watched the game while eating a Chicago hot dog from George’s.
2. The Sox have won their last 3 games. And are only 3.5 games back from 1st place in the Central AL.
3. More importantly, the Good Guys have scored 28 runs in those last three games, meaning we now have an OFFENSE!
4. Unfortunately, our pitching has been sketchy over the past several games.
5. Jim Thome, who has returned from the DH list once again, hit a single, double, and a home run. He also scored two runs and had 5 RBI’s. Welcome back, Thome!
6. My man Joe Crede is out with a back injury. And though his replacement Paul Ozuma did miss a play that I’m sure Crede would have been able to field, Ozuma did get a hit as well as a run.
7. Despite being up at bat more than any other Sox tonight, Iguchi was the only Sox in the opening line up who didn’t get a hit.
8. Oh well, it’s nice to see three players on the team with a batting average of .270 or over!
9. In non–Sox-related news, the Grizzlies failed to secure the #1 draft pick. Instead, the Grizzlies picked #4. Sad news.
May 21, 2007
Meet Jerry Stern
Trey, Tim, and I have started working on a short documentary about a wonderful Chicagoan named Jerry Stern. Mr. Stern has lived his entire life in Chicago. As a teenager, he fought in New Guinea during World War II. When he returned back to the States, he started a successful career as a graphic designer, even having an office at one time in the same building that now holds Pizzeria Due. Now, long retired and in his early eighties, Mr. Stern is still quite active, getting in a game of racquetball at least three times a week. The photo above shows Mr. Stern in front of his house that was built in 1883.
Below, a photo from his living room:
And one more of Mr. Stern in front of his house. Mr. Stern told us that he didn’t just dress up for us. He wears a suit and tie every day!
(Expect updates on this project throughout the summer.)
