Monday, August 24, 2009

Need a cheap apartment?

We're trying to find a renter to take over our apartment. It's too good of a deal to just sick craigslist on it before first offering it to our friends, so:



More pictures here <-----

Specs:
- $800 +$50 for the garage
- 1750 Augusta @ Wood
- Available Nov 1st but you'd probably be able to start moving in a week or so before that.
- close to Division blue line stop
- equally close to Chicago bus
- close to I-94
- cat & dog friendly. Probably not for multiple dogs though. That would be pushing it.
- Building has 4 new coin operated commercial washers & 4 new dryers in the basement.

This place is best suited for a couple or a single person. Not really for 2 single people because the bathroom is attached to the larger bedroom, creating kind of a master suite, which has been awesome. 2nd bedroom becomes a guest bedroom / office. It's been really terrific for us for the past four years, but we've bought a place of our own. The landlords have been great and responsive over the years, so we're trying to help them find someone respectful & responsible to take our spot.

Also, if you're interested we'll leave:
- 2 window air conditioners
- the big bamboo rug
- dining room table & chairs
- the ikea wardrobe in the kitchen (it's kind of perfect for the spot it's in)
- all the curtains & blinds
- the spider plant that hangs in the living room (it's just real happy there)
- probably some other things, come to think of it

We'll be posting it on Craigslist Sept 15th and we expect it'll go pretty quickly, so if you or someone you know might be interested let us know asap & you can swing by to take a look at it. Thanks!

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Hot dog


Hot dog.

Even with air conditioning. I wonder what dogs must think of days like this. Do they possibly think that we might have something to do with the temperature? Like maybe mom's chosen to make this a heat wave? I mean, afterall, dogs probably realize humans have the ability to make the environment loud or quiet by will, light or dark by will...

oh! zach's home!!

Claiming my half right down the middle


Here's the bed when Z is away. A little nest of books, magazines, computers & a totally immodest poodle. I sleep on his side when he's gone.

Saturday, August 8, 2009

Need a kick

Woke up feeling kind of grumpy today. Z is away in Kalamazoo with his momma. But instead of using this gift of isolation to plow through our belongings and purge to reduce clutter & surprise daddy, dog and I have opted to lay in bed all morning. I mean, I guess it's only 10:00 still, but we're not feeling the smallest iota of inspiration. Come on come on come on....

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Thank you, train

So bizzy. forgot to eat lunch today. but the train home is better. a place to sit still.

overheard on train as I wrote:
"You see his baby yet? Yeah I'm the godfather. ...What's that mean?"

Anyhow, dog and I are having a girls night tonight. What should we do?

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

pre-buyer's remorse

Getting bummed about this place. I don't want to end up paying Wicker Park prices for a Noble Square condo.
So tired. So bummed.

fragile

I have a summer cold. On Saturday morning I mistook it for a little hangover. But now it's Tuesday and I'm still feeling like my bones are made of a coral reef. All brittle and jagged-like. Sleeping under a tree sounds so much more ideal than sitting at a desk with no windows today.

Saturday, August 1, 2009

Why I hate Critical Mass



Critical Mass has frustrated me for a long time. On the last Friday of every month I watch hordes of bicyclists ride through the city streets in numbers so vast as to block traffic for miles. While the initial concept is brilliant and the message is commendable, the participants are totally sabotaging their own message, and this is the reason I've always refused to participate.

As I stand on the sidelines each month and watch as cyclists ride by, flipping us off and doing wheelies, passive aggressively wishing us a happy Friday, I just want to hang my head. Never do I see anyone passing out fliers, or chanting or even hollering anything with the phrase "critical mass" or "bicycle awareness."

I listen like a fly on a wall to the bystanders and folks stuck in traffic, and NO ONE KNOWS WHAT THE HELL YOU'RE DOING. I hear people say things like "this must be some kind of club." Or "is this a parade?"

After they've all passed and traffic resumes its normal patterns people aren't left with the thought "Wow, there are a lot of bicyclists in the city. I should be more careful to watch for them and share the road." Nonono. Instead we all think, "Wow bicyclists sure are a pompous and rude group. If I had my way I'd run a couple of them over."

Honestly, how difficult would it be to pass out quarter page fliers explaining the movement, asking drivers to be more aware of cyclists, explain some bicycle laws, state some statistics on bike accidents.... Want me to put that together for you? Because I could. Really easily. Anyone could.

Now, I'm sure there are a handful we didn't see, but of the hundreds of people riding down Division street last night we saw ONE man toward the end of the ride, leaning into car windows to thank people for their patience & offering them baked goods. ?? Whatever. At least it was something.

It just frustrates me to no end that people have created this massive and powerful movement - A way to capture the attention of almost an entire city and broadcast what I think is a VERY important message, and they continue to squander this opportunity each and every month. And in multiple cities, apparently.

My point is that there needs to be more of an effort to communicate. You've got our attention. Now what? Have you forgotten what you're riding for, or do you just care more about causing a scene? To me it's a blatant example of the way Americans have forgotten how to effectively demonstrate because we've been so passive and/or contented for so long.

This really really bums me out. I hope someone can step in and redirect it before it's too late.

Which brings me to this, which I think is kind of excellent: Critical Manners