May 27, 2009

Wherefore art thou, bloggirl?

Take a seat! Hot dogs and hamburgers coming right up!So I've been doing a lot of not-blogging lately. It's a hip, new, transgressive form of blogging. Ha, just kidding. Yeah, my habits around here have changed, and I thought I'd take a few minutes to address that, if only for my own sake. Why am I not blogging much these days? Maybe some of the same reasons you're blogging less.

For one thing, technology has changed. These newfangled things called Facebook and Twitter began to surpass some of the socially connecting qualities of blogging, and if the point of blogging is to share ideas and media with like-minded people, Facebook and Twitter are actually better, in some ways, although I don't think that obviates the need for a longer-form outlet like blogs. Lord knows I will probably keep this damn thing up and running for years and years, through countless masthead redesigns, and, morbid a thought though it may be, it will probably outlive me. But in the meantime, I'm having a lot of fun with these new communications toys like TwitPic, which lets me liveblog or tweet right from my cell phone, using my fun new camera phone to document life's little moments.

What else? Things have been getting busier. Comedy stuff has been snowballing, and opportunities for creative collaboration and more sophisticated video work have been popping up all over the place. I've been reinventing myself and thinking even harder about what I'm doing, what I want to do, where I fit in best, how I can best use my talents to create art and make a life for myself, blah blah. It feels a little weird to be publicly musing about stuff I haven't totally figured out yet.

St. Someone slaying a beast on church on Broadway (near Catalpa)Also, I've been dealing with some personal changes, good and bad, mostly good. For one thing, I am now the proud owner of a chronic illness, which has taken me most of the winter and spring to adjust to. I'd rather not get into too many details, but I'll say that that while it's not a health-threatening condition, per se, but it has been incredibly uncomfortable and psychologically straining at times. Since seeing a specialist and getting treatment, I am much, much, much better, and, gratefully, feeling mostly normal most of the time, but it's taken what seems like a long time. Also, there's the usual family/friends/significant other stuff happening, which is great, but personal changes like this require a lot of quiet reflection, and, again, largely of the kind that I don't want to make public.

And, my final excuse, I am kinda bored hearing myself yammer on about things! One thing I like about the writing that I do for a living is being able to thoroughly investigate something or someone, tell an amazing story, and leave myself completely out of it. That's what I'm finding myself doing more and more with comedy, and that's the way I like it. For now, at least.

Blah blah blah, now on with the brief picture posts and other sorry excuses for blogging. See ya around!

May 17, 2009

Isn't everyone's desk a hopeless tangle of wires?

I'm beginning to see the light

Having a goodbye veggie burger with Allison Leber and assorted comedy girlfriends. Alli is leaving us for the golden shores of California. We are discussing the vagaries of big life changes and how much of it you really need to have mapped out ahead of time. Hopefully not too much, as we decided. In the meantime, what a beautiful day...

All the plastic Chinese food you could ever want to eat! Furama, in Uptown.

May 14, 2009

Man versus meat. Make mine well done, please! The meat, that is.

It's been a beautiful, beautiful day in Chicago. Sunny and about seventy-two all day long. Birds sing outside my window and church bells vibrate through the air every hour. I got a lot of editing stuff done, did some writing for new projects, organized my office and bit more, and rode my bike. Oh, and also, I watched the first episode of Real Housewives of New Jersey. Trashily delicious! Now, a fine outdoor-cooked meal!

May 8, 2009

My photos of 500 Clown Macbeth at the Galaxie in Chicago May 7, 2009

Bryan took me to see this incredibly original adaptation of Macbeth, and they were nice enough to let me take photos as well. The show was first staged by these guys in 2000, and they're moving to the Steppenwolf in June. Tomorrow night, STAR TREK!! Now...must...sleep.

500 Clown Macbeth at the Galaxie in Chicago May 7, 2009

500 Clown Macbeth at the Galaxie in Chicago May 7, 2009

500 Clown Macbeth at the Galaxie in Chicago May 7, 2009

500 Clown Macbeth at the Galaxie in Chicago May 7, 2009

500 Clown Macbeth at the Galaxie in Chicago May 7, 2009

May 5, 2009

My photos of Jenni Prokopy

Maybe some of the cutest photos I've taken so far, especially the first one - you can just feel her positive energy with that smile! Jenni Prokopy, for those who don't know her, is the mastermind behind Chronic Babe, Orange Grove Media, and ideaXchange, which is how I met her. She wanted some new headshots, so she came over for a few hours on Sunday and we wandered around my new neighborhood, finding some sunny and colorful spots to shoot some pics.

Jenni Prokopy

Jenni Prokopy

Jenni Prokopy

Jenni Prokopy

Jenni Prokopy

Jenni Prokopy