Guns & - I think this has been pointed out a million times already, right?

But why are we cracking down on gun violence now?

Operative word being ‘now’. Chicago had it’s most violent summer, and maybe we could have cracked down on it then? Or was there publicity of the violence then?

Admittedly I have not followed any of this legislation/debate but how are school shootings worse than neighborhood drive-bys? I mean, kids die in both of them.

Last to realize this maybe, but maybe I am missing something?

Tree

There’s a small park, the size of a house lot, a block from the apartment in which I live. Every day I go on a run and make sure to end my route at the park. I do some stretching and use the walk back to the apartment as cool down time. In the middle of the grounds, past the small play set, there’s a medium sized tree sprouting out of the wood chips and lightly manicured bushes. The tree is reminiscent of one that stood just in view of the bedroom window of my childhood house. The similarity is made more meaningful because two years ago the tree from home cracked during a wind storm and has since been cut down. Sometimes after a run I would think about returning to the park with a sketch pad and becoming more intimately familiar with this tree I inexplicably care about. I have never cashed in on that thought.

I’ve just returned after being away for three months. This morning I ran a standard route (although with some difficultly as I’m yet recovering from malaria), and remembered the park. I decided that today was the day I was going to sketch the tree. Perhaps the tree would guide me into the future, and lend a sense of continuity to my life. As I jogged up I saw a backhoe, comically large, occupying nearly the entire park. Without my glasses it was difficult to gauge the distance, perhaps there was construction occurring in the adjacent parking lot? Standing across the street it was clear. The tree was gone. I now to recalled white plastic banners announcing fundraising going on in the neighborhood for putting in new playground equipment. Perhaps this is a bright push into the future of child-oriented landscaping.

I miss the tree.

EDM: Benny Benassi

YESTERDAY I WENT MY FIRST EDM SHOW. (electronic dance music)

SUPER. AWESOME.

And because earlier that day I visited the Museum of Science and Industry and got hyped up about Learning and Discovery (and U-boats) everything that happened at the concert was ‘For Science!’

Ali & I wore a lot of makeup, and most of that makeup was glitter based. By the time we left I looked kind of like a mermaid, if Ke$ha needed a mermaid in a music video.

Obviously we started dancing right we got to the House of Blues at midnight. Benassi didn’t come on until 1:30 I think? It was hard to tell since there were no clocks, only dancing and lights and music.

By the end of the night I was pretty pleased. Towards the beginning when things were slower I was initially hit on by a lady who stated things of by saying ‘I’m one of you! I’m a lesbian too!’ Oh geez lady. I nodded a smiled and was like, awesome! I’m with someone- and pointed to Ali. Then a dude tried subtly dancing with me, being careful not to make eye contact- and I quickly put an end to that with the ‘cut it out’ gesture. Don’t worry he tried again so I just used my elbows.Then another lady, then a gay dude- and then just a line of terrible straight guys. Listen bros, if you are trying to grind on my ass let me first tell you it is super sweaty and also here are my elbows. Back the fuck up.

THEN I turned around and saw this kinda muscular dude with a mohowk and tattoos and apologized if my hair had been hitting him. He just smiled and was like

‘No, no. Don’t worry. You’re really fun to watch.”

“Thanks! I usually come to these with guys, thanks for letting me dance” (this is only sort of a lie. I usually go to shows with guys, but not EDM shows.)

“Absolutely.”

AND THEN FOR THE REST OF THE NIGHT HE STOOD A FOOT BEHIND ME AND GAVE ME SO MUCH SPACE IT WAS EXCELLENT. When a fight started in front of us he even moved to the front until security took care of it. Also there was an invasion by a group of utter bros who smelled like an Armani Exchange. Ignoring every concert protocol they muscled their way in front of us well after the third set started. It’s cool though because I craftily used my elbows to spill their drinks.

Anyway this dude was rad as hell. He even blew on the back of my neck when my hair got sweaty! And then he proceeded to - this is key - NOT DANCE UP ON ME.

And of course Benassi played Cinema- the Skrillex remix- and of course I BECAME ONE WITH THE MUSIC when the house shuddered ‘D-D-D-D-D-D-ROP THE BASS’.

YES I BECAME ONE WITH THE MUSIC.

And um, I went to sleep at six this morning so I am so tired and what if this doesn’t make sense? I just want to do it again.

Oh Guys, Life is So Good

Yesterday I went to the Of Monsters and Men concert and it was great. Then we went a kind of skanky kind of family themed taquerira and had too much sangria. Then I woke up in friend Kevin’s bed this morning after occasional fits of sleep and that is OK by me.

Now he is skipping work and we are hanging out Ferris Bueller’s Day Off style.

I BELONG WITH YOU, YOU BELONG WITH ME YOU’RE MY SWEETHEART

THAT SONG IS ALL UP IN MY THINKING SPACE RIGHT NOW.

I just got back from an evening at the Gold Coast, which I generally shun because I only make enough money for maybe Lincoln Park occasionally.

ANYWAY I do really like the Gold Coast.

Just two minutes ago I was looking for a receipt in my purse. And what I found instead were….MEMORIES.

Precious memories.

I pulled out a postcard from that weird shop crazy Joan Cussack owns which we went in and found emergency clown noses and some guy who plays for second city. And a dinosaur from a friend in Korea.

And then I looked at my phone and remembered I had seen former Mayor Daley tonight and also texted everyone I knew about how great that was.

Also today was just so great. A dear friend and I got RA Sushi and then went to the Hancock for gelatto and also went in to Louis Vuitton.

Also I have to stop spending money on clothes and records because I am getting to be very into buying those things. And also I want to have fun in South Africa.

Geez it is so good I don’t have a blog I would just write stuff like this in it all the time.

A note - so we can all remember this later

yesterday I cried from 6:30 am when I woke up, straight through until leaving Chicago around 12:45.

Tears were falling off my face through the entire day.  I did not know you could become dehydrated from tears.

ANWAY. yes, so that happened.