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My original blog - I have moved to http://shannonclark.wordpress.com so this remains only as an archive.
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Searching for the Moon
by Shannon Clark
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Wednesday, July 31, 2002
Mail, part 2 - and communications
Well, at lunch today I went to my local post office, waited, and filed a formal complaint about my mail service.
Surprise surprise, they had about 6 pieces of mail for me right then and there, and then this afternoon they delivered another 6 pieces of mail - including three bills we were waiting on (all lower this month than last - which is good). So that was probably worth spending some time on - now if only it also works with my personal mail at home as well.
On a related subject - I have noticed an odd trend of late - some number of people with whom I have corresponded for various reasons have simply not replied to email or messages I have left them. Not sure why, I hope it is not something I said or something in the manner in which I wrote, but it is disconcerting - a vague sense that people are not listening or don't care.
In business this is, perhaps, what I have to overcome to be a great salesperson - much like a major league baseball player, it is all about the averages, and a great performance from a salesperson is on the order of one in five people getting back to you when you pitch to them.
In personal correspondance however, I would hope it is not like sales - though I guess when you are first meeting someone you are "selling" - selling yourself.
Friends of mine seem capable of engaging quickly in conversations with people met online or in person - in a manner and way that I seem unable to anymore - once I was, now it seems more difficult - for some reason more often than not my emails go unanswered.
Not sure why.
7/31/2002 05:06:00 PM
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Tuesday, July 30, 2002
The Mail
An ongoing saga for me at the moment is mail. Or more specifically the lack of mail.
My office has gotten a TOTAL of 4 pieces of mail in the past 6 days (not counting Sunday). Other's on our floor have gotten just a tad more.
At home, I have gotten about 4 pieces in the past our days.
Is this universal? Have all the competent mail carriers and mail sorters taken vacations the same week? Or just bad luck and the Chicago post office finally catching up with me?
In either case it is contributing to the odd feeling of being slightly cut off, and not quite entirely there that I have felt for the past few days. I love mail. It is one of the minor pleasures of my day to open my mailbox at home and see what has arrived that day, or to get the pile from my mail carrier here at the office and sort it.
Yes, as the president of my own (but small) firm - I probably shouldn't get that excited about sorting the mail - but it is a simple, quick moment that brings me pleasure.
Also, the more quickly I open and deal with the mail, the much higher the probability that stuff that needs to be dealt with is dealt with - when I file mail away or more accurately stick it into a big pile to "be looked at later" later comes much much later indeed - usually long after what ever the mail was about has been over and done.
Not dissimmerly with my emails, if I don't respond to them almost as they arrive - they often disappear in the depths of my mailbox, rarely to resurface to be looked at again.
7/30/2002 04:10:00 PM
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Monday, July 29, 2002
Are Significent others friends?
Over the weekend I had a great conversation with a number of dear friends, including one who commented that she is closer and more truthful with her friends (even male friends) than with her boyfriend. That there is a high degree of not-knowing that is core to a relationship vs. a comfort and trust that exists between true friends. The comment in part arose out of a discussion of the difference between meeting a friend's family and a boyfriend's family, but it was more than that as well.
As her friend, she feels safe telling me almost anything - and we do indeed talk about everything and anything.
Not really knowing much personally about being in a relationship, her observation startled me - I always considered that first and foremost I would be a friend of any woman who would then become my girlfriend.
I wonder now if this assumption on my part is more than just wrong, but also a contributing factor to why I have been single for so long - i.e. if girlfriends expect their boyfriends to be somewhat mysterious, not entirely known, and different in their interactions than with friends - then by being interested in being a friend first am I unconsciously hinting to woman I meet not to consider me as "boyfriend material?"
Who knows - perhaps my friend's observation is not entirely accurate - but I also can see the truth in what she is talking about - friends, real friends that is, are like family - they will stick with you through thick and thin - put up with you in all your varying moods - at your highs and your lows - at your best behavior and your worst (though real friends will also confront you later about your behavior - if that is needed). A relationship is often a more fragile thing - held together by some other forces - a mix of mutual attraction and desire, as well as perhaps friendship - but what would and do I know?
When I meet someone, I am interested in getting to know them, judging whether or not I would want to keep knowing them - over time I will learn whether I can trust them, whether they want to talk to me, and what we agree (and what we disagree) on. My friends tend to be people who beyond caring deeply about, I am comfortable and relaxed around - people whose presence makes me happier, whose calls perk me up, whose emails delight me.
Woman I am interested in - do all the above and more.
I realize that, as a man, I will never really "understand" a woman (indeed really not anyone but that's a discussion for another day) but the challenge of trying is one I would enjoy - the challenge of learning to know someone's moods, to know how to relax them, to know what pleases them, when to talk, when not to.
7/29/2002 12:16:00 PM
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Saturday, July 27, 2002
Once in a while I encounter a cool site by virtue of looking carefully at my own site's logs. Below is a search engine (in beta) that allows for searching of past and present domain names - with fairly sophisticated reg ex features.
Translation - you can search for say "^hannah" and find all the sites that start with the phrase "hannah" - including my sister's site!
Whois Report - Domain Name Search Engine
7/27/2002 07:13:00 PM
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Books - yes more books - detecting a trend here?
Okay - I confess - I like books.
Always have.
My childhood is sprinkled with memories of books I read, books I books, afternoons I spent in libraries and bookstores, the chase for that one book I had not read yet - the hunt for a new author to read and enjoy.
So, I am a sucker for bookfairs - have to watch myself carefully.
I was good today - I only spent $6.50, and only bought 6 books (good prices!).
The coolest will remain a secret for the moment - a surprise for someone who will enjoy it.
But I did pick up a book edition of Fantasy & Science Fiction with short stories by Mike Resnick, Harlan Ellison, and Gardner Dozois among others - should be a fun afternoon's reading.
With my new business of helping people sell via auctions - I look at bookfair and other sales with a new set of eyes - not just "do I want this" but "could I sell this?" - I was tempted, but have decided to pass, on a nearly complete set of LIFE magazines from 1940-1954 inclusive! (missing the one issue on Pearl Harbor).
While the collector in me, and the historian, would find many pleasant afternoons in looking through the photos and advertising in LIFE - the investor in me can't see how to sell them for an easy profit - a hard profit perhaps, but only after many months of effort - and probably not much at that.
But I will keep hunting - and continue searching for sources of inventory - as well as items for my own personal collection (and for time to catch up on my now lengthy list of books waiting to be finished or even just started!)
7/27/2002 05:01:00 PM
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Friday, July 26, 2002
Birthday wishes, banana bread, baking and friends
Happy birthday Mary Anne!
Its fun to help friends celebrate their birthdays!
This morning I stopped at the bakery near my house, got there early enough to get a loaf of yesturday's banana bread - which will now be a part of my breakfast/lunch, and likely snacks for myself and friends later tonight.
This weekend I will be cooking, but more unusually for me, doing a minor amount of baking - and not from a tube of dough, from actual flour, eggs, milk and butter! Should be fun - making one of my all time favorite dishes for Mary Anne's brunch this weekend - "Pop's Super-Colossal Popovers"
This will be a weekend of friends, from a friend's call last night to, to meeting up with friends on Saturday at the bookfair and debates, to Mary Anne's brunch, to this evening and Sunday evening helping a friend with her PhD dissertation - this will be a weekend of spending time with many and assrted friends - what better way to spend a summer weekend in Chicago?
7/26/2002 11:38:00 AM
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Thursday, July 25, 2002
Books - serious and friendly
Mary Anne's new book is published!
Just got my copy from Amazon today - looks good (and once again water proof).
Also with my order, I got two books that are equally exciting to me (and this does indeed tell me something slightly worrying about myself - two books on computer science/math/statistics are as interesting as a book of erotica). Two books on the topic I have been spending the last two years researching and studying - finally after having plodded my way through hundreds of computer science papers, master's theses, and PhD dissertations, I have a couple of books to read that can help me with the background detail I should have had years ago.
While I know that my own research has ventured into areas that these books do not fully cover, at the same time it will be helpful to have much more solid grasp of the underlying basics and see what directions I should explore in the future.
Anyway - my day to day will be spent helping a friend with her PhD thesis, getting a new bunch of auctions up, and trying to convince new clients to give us items to sell on their behalf.
7/25/2002 12:45:00 PM
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Chapter 8 - Weblogs in Business
A very interesting discussion about weblogging in a Business context - something I think is very interesting to explore and consider - further, the article is well written and well illustrated.
7/25/2002 12:36:00 PM
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Wednesday, July 24, 2002
"No fighting in the war room"
Chicago is a town full of great romantic things to do - unfortunately I tend to do them alone, but they can still be enjoyable.
Last night, I went to the showing of Dr. Stangelove in Grant Park. Almost 10,000 people, perhaps more were there, most on picnic dates. The atmosphere was good for a date - the field in Grant Park, the city of Chicago skyline alit in the background, and a great movie showing in front of you.
The police were very polite - requiring people to avoid having open grills and pets, but turning a blind eye to the many people with bottles of wine to accompany their picnic meals. Couples curled up together on the many picnic blankets, with many on double or triple dates - but many too just there together two-by-two.
I was not, however, the only person there alone, or "just with friends" there were plenty of us there as well.
The cell phones everyone had made for many an amusing conversation - people shouting "I'm wearing a green jacket and waving - where are you?" I loaned my cell phone to one woman, who, just as she managed to get the number she was dialling right - was shouted to by her friends standing about 30 feet away - it was that sort of atmosphere.
The crowd was a great mix of Chicago, young and old (though most college aged and above, only a few kids in attendance, too late on a weeknight I think for kids really), all races and classes - people clearly still in their business suits having come directly from work and punks in all black. In short, a reminder of why I love living in a city.
7/24/2002 01:30:00 PM
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Tuesday, July 23, 2002
Two rivals meet and say "Whats up"
Today after lunch I was witness to two rivals of business meeting.
A Pepsi deliverary crew was leaving the building - having delivered cases to the small newsstand, and a Coke delivery crew was entering, heading for the same storefront.
The two leaders of the respective crews greated each other with friendly "What's up" and pressed flesh.
Amusing to see how the front lines of business are friendly - same job, two different firms, probably with similar routes.
Outside one truck was parked on the east bound street, the Coke truck on the north/south street - the Pepsi truck just behind a UPS delivery vehicle - the engines of commerce there before my very eyes.
Refreshing in a way to see real business still goes on as the news are full of the crashing stock market and scandals du jour.
7/23/2002 02:22:00 PM
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Monday, July 22, 2002
Breakfast, and shopping at Dominicks on a Sunday night
I ate breakfast this morning.
This is highly unusual behavior for me (as is leaving my house just minutes after 8:00am). I can not fully explain it, except to say that I had to have pancakes and eggs - still haven't had my coffee yet however.
I usually shop for groceries at the Treasure Island across the street from me, and usually restrict myself to what will fit in one, or at most two bags so I can just walk them across the street to my home.
As a result, I rarely buy large sizes, and tend to buy just enough food for the next week at the most. For fresh fruit and vegetables, I sometimes buy them at Treasure Island, but lately have taken to shopping at Stanley's, a great fruit and vegetable market just a few minutes from my home.
Why do I mention this? Well last night, I did something different. I shopped at Dominicks - it has been years since I have. Dominicks is associated in my mind with shopping with my mom while growing up, it was where we did most of our grocery shopping.
I am not a big supermarket type of guy anymore I guess - I found shopping last night vaguely irritating.
Mostly, because of the "Fresh Values" card - the whole concept irritates me - that in return for tracking my every purchase, they will give me the sales - but if I refuse to let them track me, I can not take advantage of any of their (to be fair, rather substantial at times) sale prices.
Very irritating actually. Truthfully a large reason why I no longer shop at Dominicks or Jewel - I refuse to have my every action tracked when deciding brands of mayo or hot dogs - and the lack of easily useable sales is annoying.
As was the multiple aisles with water dripping from the ceiling (not a real appitizing site I must say). Or some (but not all) of the people who were shopping with me on a Sunday night - many were regular folks, even some cute woman (they do say that people in fact do meet in the produce section - but I would avoid the produce section late on a Sunday night - not the freshest of fruits) - but many were a bit "peculiar".
Anyway, I managed to avoid getting soaked by falling water, and navigated my way through the maze of sale items to find reasonably priced items to buy for my home - and for some reason I was on a breakfast tear.
So, I bought brown eggs, a large package of frozen sausages, pancake mix, a replacement 100% pure maple syrup (as I knew I was running low) and this morning I had myself a small, very tasty breakfast.
Two eggs, over easy. Three sausage patties. And four pancakes. Prepared with only a touch of butter for the eggs and pancakes (non-stick pans rock).
Very tasty.
7/22/2002 09:00:00 AM
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Saturday, July 20, 2002
Dinner, and alone among friends
Last night, I was walking home when I was stopped by two friends a few blocks from my house. After giving one a photo I had printed for him, we stopped and talked for while.
They invited me to join them for dinner at a local restaurant, I agreed but first went home to drop off my briefcase.
Dinner was fun, loud, lots of laughing, the food was only so-so, but the company enjoyable - and in a move that I did not expect (nor did any of my friends), one of them treated the rest of us to dinner - very nice of him.
After dinner, as if the desserts, bread, pasta, and appetizer was not enough, we went across the street for ice cream (well some of us, I declined all but one small bite of the frozen yogurt).
But, sitting there, on a perfect summer night, outside, on the sidewalk under the streetlights and trees, in short in a wonderful place with good friends, I felt an absense as well.
A few years ago at a New Year's eve party held by some friends of mine who are practicing pagans, they did a tradition that involved writing down your fondest wish on two pieces of paper, and then giving one to a friend to hold on to, in a year you were to meet up again and burn the papers.
My one wish was "Companionship" - and indeed, very acutely last night I felt its absense. Yes, I have friends, but I am missing something very important.
As we sat, later on that evening, moved just a half-block away to another outdoor cafe, we were a bunch of guys sitting outside on a summer's evening. In my neighborhood it seems at time the whole world walks by, and guys being guys, some comments were made about the woman who were walking past.
My tastes are very different from my friends I discovered - indeed how to describe my tastes are a bit difficult (I barely know myself in some regards - having little experience to go by).
I know that I am not interested in blondes with big breasts wearing tight jeans, as my friends seem uniformly to be - rather, I want someone with whom I feel comfortable, someone who physically attracts me, but who has the intelligence to back it up and to hold a conversation with - with a bunch of guys on a street corner - intelligence did not seem to be all that important.
The men I was most envious were not the guys with the blonds in stillettos and unnatural features - rather they were the men walking in loving embrace with a woman who looked at them with affection - the men who were studying with their girlfriends on a Friday night, or just out walking their dog - those were the men I envied.
I am not very good at reading unspoken cues - I'm certain that many times over in my life I have missed opportunities - I know that the woman who taught me to dance many years ago should have taught me oh so very much more.
It was on a cruise taken with my parents while in college (yes, I did not learn to dance until college - too chicken and did not have anyone to dance with in High School). A woman had, early in the cruise walked past me and smiled at me - clueless me I did nothing.
It was not until a day or two later, when, my sister having befriended the woman's brother - that I was reintroduced to her. She actually asked me why I had not talked to her that first day. Silly me.
So, later that day she taught me to dance at the ship's nightclub - which being a ship at sea involved dancing on a floor that was swaying - lowering significently the embarassement factor.
That week was a good one - but even though she and I sat, under the stars, by ourselves overlooking the ocean in a private area we probably should not have been in (this was before the Titanic movie - but not too removed from a certain scene of that film), I did not so much as kiss her.
I have dated two woman in my life - though I have had many female friends (but we were strictly platonic friends whether I liked it or not) - in the first case we would have never dated had a mutual friend not actually asked us each directly "Do you two like each other?" - and then forced an answer from us both (and then strategically left us alone in her dormroom to explore the implications of our mutual "yes"). The second case was an "internet relationship" first, then a brief one week "fling" which ended the relationship before it really started. In the first case, though we were intimate and dated each other for many month (almost 9 in fact) we were both young and very inexperienced and never had (in the Clinton sense of it) - sex.
So, here I am, at the age of 28, very much alone. Not what I had expected - and with every passing year I fear it will get only harder and harder for me (though on the bright side, a friend did once tell me that most likely my 20's would suck - which they mostly have, but that my 30's would be great. His point being that somehow woman in their 20's want men who are very different from me, but that when they get into their 30's they change and start to want a man very much like me - smart, kind, considerate, stable, friendly to kids etc. I increasely fear and hope that he was right - but that does imply two very long years ahead of me at least).
7/20/2002 06:31:00 PM
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Friday, July 19, 2002
Three upcoming events
I am trying to get a group of people together to do "stuff" with - so I have started emailing my friends with upcoming events to join me at.
Here is most of the most recent email I sent out - with three upcoming events here in Chicago to attend and go to.
Three events in the upcoming week - please RSVP if you are interested in joining me at any (or all) of these activities.
First, a chance for a guided tour of four art galleries in the River North gallery district. Tomorrow morning at 10:00 (Saturday, July 20th) a group will start at the Starbucks at Franklin and Chicago and will then tour four local galleries. The guide is from the Chicago association of art dealers - the tour is free and should be fun.
Second, Dr. Strangelove will be shown TUESDAY night in Grant Park as part of the City of Chicago's film in the park series. The film will start at sunset. The screen is located at Lake Shore Drive and Monroe. I have a dinner meeting until 7:30 so I plan on arriving at 8:00 to spread out a blanket and enjoy a great film on a very large screen.
If you are interested in joining me, please RSVP to arrange a spot to meet, or call me on my cell phone
Third, NEXT weekend (July 26 and 27th) is the Newberry Library bookfair (which actually starts on the 25th) and the Bughouse Square Debates.
Bughouse Square is the park just south of the Newberry Library. For most of Chicago's history it was the Chicago equivalent of Speaker's Corner in Hyde Park, London - a spot where anyone with a point to make could literally get up on a soapbox and speak. In celebration of this history, once a year people gather and speeches are made on a very very wide range of topics - should be fun (and the bookfair is quite good as well).
I plan on going at least on Saturday the 26th, and possibly on Sunday as well.
7/19/2002 12:49:00 PM
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Power
of the electrical type
This morning, at about 4:48AM (or so, basing this on my logs), the access box for the T1 to my office building failed. I think that a day ago it had gone to a battery backup, as power to the office where it is installed was cut by our landlord.
So, for about four hours this morning I could not recieve email, my website was offline (my corporate site), and who knows how my ongoing auctions on eBay and other matters were impacted.
All for a lack of power.
Annoyingly, the service provider did not call anyone, did not send anyone out to fix it, did not do anything to support (or even show that they noticed) the sudden drop in connection to one of their customers. (probably this is due to the fact that they are quiting the Chicago market in less than a month, but still it is highly annoying.
7/19/2002 09:31:00 AM
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Thursday, July 18, 2002
Live Music
Just got back (quickly stopping by office, just slightly out of my way on the way home) from an amazing live concert by my current favorite Chicago area musician, Anne Harris (see and listen to her at her website www.anneharrismusic.com).
She mostly plays music she wrote - perhaps describing one of the few songs she covered helps explain a bit about her music - she covered "Crossroads" by Tracy Chapman - very appropriate and in tune with her own musical style.
Definitely part of what I love about Chicago, the chance to see and here amazing music like what I heard tonight.
7/18/2002 10:59:00 PM
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A quick update
Okay, I know I have been lax of late keeping this journal. A mix of fairly quiet, slightly boring days, a minor brain cramp (had something I wanted to write then forgot it as I tried writing it) and simply being busy.
So, here is a quick note - tonight I am meeting friends for an Anne Harris concert at the Borders in Evanston - since only a few people RSVPed me, the plan is to meet there at 7:00. I am meeting one friend (more however are welcome) at 6:00 to go quickly and grab a sandwich or something. Should be a fun concert.
Not sure of my plans this weekend, next weekend I am planning on going to the Bughouse Square debates - which should be fun (and being around the corner from my office, something I have no excuse not to get to).
7/18/2002 11:51:00 AM
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Tuesday, July 16, 2002
I was just added at the Chicago event chair for Ryze - will be organizing networking events here in Chicago in the months to come.
Ryze - business networking community
7/16/2002 04:36:00 PM
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Monday, July 15, 2002
The one about the two Bulgarians in the Korean Karaoke bar
What, you haven't heard this before?
Last night, I was reminded why I love Chicago, the US, and Globalism (technically it was early this morning, but I count darkness before I sleep as part of the evening...)
It was late, past midnight, and I was hungry, my quick errand to the office had taken longer than planned so I was left with only real late night options for food - and I did not have a taste for a 24hr diner meal, and though my initial plan was Mexican, I decided to drive up north and see if my favorite late night Korean place had reopened yet.
It has not - still recovering from a fire that devastated their kitchen months ago, which is a real lose to Chicago.
So, I was stuck looking for another place that was still open. I drove far north, trying to find one of two other places I have gone to in the past that have been open very late, one appears to no longer be there, the other no longer to be a 24hr place. So, I was turning around and heading home, when I saw what looked to be a Korean restaurant still open.
Parking my car, I wandered in.
It was a strange little place, more bar than restaurant, but the bartended/owner? was friendly enough and after I explained I wanted something spicy, agreed to prepare a spicy pork dish for me for take out.
While it was being cooked, I sat at the bar with two other customers.
One an older man, balding, but who did not look Asian (unusual for such a place), and the other a man whom I assumed from his looks was Indian. After trying to get me to attempt to sing (I declined) they resumed their conversation, in a language I did not recognize, but quickly realized was something Slavic.
After a while, we got to talking - turns out they were speaking Bulgarian. The man whom I had assumed was Indian was instead, half Bulgarian and have Honduran - his parents had met on a soccer field.
How cool is a city where in a Korean bar, late at night on a Sunday, you can meet such people? Gives me a great deal of hope and happiness.
7/15/2002 10:49:00 AM
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Sunday, July 14, 2002
A quiet weekend
Last night I was writing.
This is a good thing. It has been a while since I brushed aside the myriad of ways I have of procrastinating and just sat down, with my computer, and wrote. Admittedly I did not work on my novel, as I had intended, but instead on a short story and some journal entries (too private even for this rather too revealing journal).
The story was an attempt to tell something that sorta kinda happened to me, but in the form of fiction, not as personal history. I think, in the current state, it would be too close to being just personal history, so it will need a few twists and tweaks before I show it to anyone, but it is a story taken out of the fabric of my life - so I will try to revisit it.
Unlike most else that I have written lately, it is not "genre" rather it is set in the here and now, in modern America with normal (well as normal as anyone can be) people as the main characters. Something rather different from my other recent writings - which have involved atheists winning the white house, vampires, or time travel.
As I sat, in Starbucks (I confess - it is close, open until 3:00am on Thursday - Saturday night, and they let you sit as long as you want), I had the unusual experience (for me) of talking to two woman.
First, what was unusual. I noticed them as the entered - and thought to myself "I wonder who they are" - and figured, like most people I wonder that about, that I would never know the answer. Indeed after they waited for their drinks they wandered about the Starbucks looking for where to sit.
A bit of explanation - this is a very, and I do mean very, large Starbucks - I've heard that is is over 5000 sq. ft - and I mostly believe that - easily sits 150 people - split into two sides by an aisle and shelves with stuff for sale.
They first looked to be heading towards the area I was not sitting in, but minutes later changed their minds and sat not far from where I was seated. Initially they sat on a small stage that is in one corner of the store. After they had just settled down, having gotten up to grab various supplies for their drinks (napkins, sugar etc), the couple seated just next to me in a pair of comfy chairs go up, and so they moved for a third time - to the chairs just next to me.
I was seated in the window typing at my computer.
Interesting I thoughts, but then returned to my writing.
I did overhear the one woman mentioning to the other "I have a computer like that. Good idea to come here and plug in"
After a while something in their conversation caught my attention, and the woman closest to me noticed (I think it was a repeat of her comment about my computer).
Our conversation started with her asking "Sorry, didn't mean to disturb you, did you hear me telling my friend I didn't shave my legs today?"
I had not, and I said "no, missed that, but that reminds me of something I have started collecting - phrases that you overhear and know that there is a story there. Just the other week I was walking past two woman and a man on the sidewalk and overheard one of the woman say 'That was the man I met in the strip club' - your phrase is much like that story"
We then talked a bit about that, I explained my story further, she repeated it for the benefit of her friend, who was seated just far enough away for the noices in the store to make it hard for her to hear me clearly, as well the one woman who had started the conversation with me seemed to have a habit of repeating conversations.
She then asked me "Are you Jewish?" - I guessed the reason, and it was right - she had a friend she is trying to set up. A Jewish woman, who lives in the neighborhood, who is looking for a Jewish man. I laughed.
I am Jewish, but not very religious - she then asked how old I was.
"28" I said.
"Oh, too young for my friend." Who, it turns out is 38 and looking for someone to settle down with (biological clock ticking away).
But an amusing conversation, which continued further. The first woman, it turns out is a Chemical engineer, the second studied Psychology in Serbia and it seems, is looking to get a degree from a US college here. They are both Serbian, the one born here, the other in Serbia. (I studied Ottoman History in school, so I know something of the history of Serbia, though that area was not my primary focus)
It is a small world.
This was a highly unusual event for me - probably more unusual for me than it should be - I don't talk to strange woman all that often, indeed my journal entry (too private for here) was my own personal musings about my too simple set of life experiences - at least around relationships. However, I need to get much better at talking with strange woman, so it was good to practice. Also satisfying that I was not unapproachable or uninteresting.
But other than that last night, this weekend has been a quiet one - too quiet probably. I cooked dinner last night, an unusual dish that turned out rather well, if I say so myself.
I cooked some linguini (which may have been slighly underdone - need to watch that next time). I served it with quick fried fake lobster which I cooked with hot peppers, olive oil, and various spices and sauces until the edges were well cooked and liquids boiled away. To this very hot pan I then added some canned sauce - which I let heat up and then poured over the pasta.
It was tasty, far far better than the plain sauce would have been - the extra heat from the hot peppers and other spices I cooked the fake lobster with made for a good contrast to the relative sweetness of the tomatoe sauce. A very satisfying dish, easy to make and very tasty.
Today's culinary creation was much less innovative - hot dogs and baked beans - seemed appropriate as I watched the end of the Cubs game on the television.
7/14/2002 11:01:00 PM
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Friday, July 12, 2002
Knocking on the windows of a bus
Last night, I was walking home up Michigan Ave from Grant Park - where I had gone to SummerDance - and learned some Gypsy dances. The walk north from the Congress Hotel to the River was beautiful. It reminded me of why I love Chicago.
At the River, I decided to wait for the 151 bus to take me home, it was late, getting cool, and I had not yet had dinner.
A woman and I were the only people waiting at the bus stop at that hour. The stop is a fairly busy one, at the intersection of Michigan Ave and Wacker Drive, and lots of buses stop there on their way north, or in some few cases, as their northernmost stop.
A bus pulled up, mostly empty. It was not the bus either of us were waiting for, so the driver pulled a bit closer to the light and waited for it to change.
I looked into the bus, then approached and knocked on the glass.
Odd behaviour I know - but a good friend of mine, one whom, I had in fact been thinking about calling just earlier in the night, was seated, alone there in the bus.
He looked up, startled, looked over, and silently we waved hello at each other.
I smiled - the joys of Chicago are, that for a large city, it is very much like a village, after a time, you get to know people and meet them as you go about your day.
Eventually my bus came, I took it north to my stop, go off, walked a few blocks, stopped a local Chinese fast food place for take out garlic shrimp, and then walked home.
On the corner by my condo is a large Starbucks with outdoor seating. Seated there, as I approached, were friends of mine. They waved hello and I stopped to exchange greetings and catch up. One had just started a light snack (brought by yet another as leftovers). In an example of karma at work - or just how cool my friends are - he (the man with the food) offered one of the ribs to me to try. It was quite good.
So, I knocked on a window of a bus, and got food from friends - not a bad night.
7/12/2002 01:14:00 PM
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Wednesday, July 10, 2002
Whether weather wilts willing wills?
Weather these past few days has impeded on my life, at least to a minor degree. A few days ago it was a beautiful rainstorm that I stayed up and watched for a while - lightning that went sidewise across the sky - like something out of a cartoon. Last night it was surprisingly cool weather - I was in a short sleeve shirt, not a great one, the type you wear when laundry is a few days past needing to have been done, but given the high temps of late I assumed I needed it - as I walked home I was actually cool, even a bit chilly.
Not much else at the moment - my writing has been slow going of late - some great feedback from a friend on my novel, at least the first 40 pages, but now a lot that I need to rethink and reconsider on the basis of his comments and thoughts.
In theory, but so far at least not in practice, my office building was supposed to get a new AC unit this week, however I have not yet seen any signs that this is, in fact, the case - other than the total lack of AC here today.
7/10/2002 12:44:00 PM
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Monday, July 08, 2002
allnighter
Last night, well this morning, in anycase - I stayed up until just before 9 this morning, I then napped for a few hours and dragged myself to work - not the most productive of days, but the night was productive.
I was up helping a very good friend prepare the first draft of her PhD dissertation. All weekend I had been reading sections of her work and offering my comments and feedback on them to her, last night and this morning we continued the process managing to wrestle the majority of her paper into a rough first draft - still lots of little typos to fix, and a handful of major items to add (tables in the right places, a few figures, and most time consumeingly her full bibliography).
She has been telling me about her research for over two years, and I have previously seen chapters and sections which she had written for various grant applications, but this weekend was my first chance to see the entirety of her work.
A very cool experience overall - felt very good to be able to help a dear friend when she needed me - and while I was not working on her stuff, I spent the night catching up on my own readings - read five of the many magazines that I have accumulated these past few months - in one I came upon an idea that may be able to help me save my company and offers me a whole new direction to expand into - so an article I am very pleased to have caught.
Now I am tired but pleased - after a quick (and small) dinner tonight I have a meeting with a business partner to work out some details of our arrangement - so all in all a good day - hopefully a sign for how the week will go.
7/08/2002 05:51:00 PM
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Friday, July 05, 2002
Fireworks, the postscript
Well this week was fun. Somewhat like having a second weekend.
Wednesday's plans to meet friends for the Chicago July 3rd fireworks went off very well - the group all met at the designated time (well a few stragglers arrived 15 minutes late - but they called and warned us they were running late) - we were then able to get a great picnic spot right in the middle - perfect sweet spot for the concert, just far enough from the pathway that we were not annoyed by the crowds, and everyone brought good ford and drink to share. It was a crowd of some old friends and some new - a nice mix and a wonderful evening.
Thursday, the actual 4th, I spent much of the day not doing anything - very relaxing and something I needed.
I then was invited by a friend (female even, imagine that) to join her and friends at Summerdance - which is a dance series put on by the City of Chicago - live music, dance lessons, and then dancing outdoors in Grant Park. Last night was Agentinian Tanggo night. Unfortunately we arrived just as the lessons were ending - so I didn't actually get to dance (my friend and I tried, but she came to the conclusion that we need refresher lessons before trying to dance - at least something as complex as the tango) - so a bit disappointing, but still a beautiful night, good company, and live music.
The weather here in Chicago has been pleasant for the past two days, hot during the day, but the evenings, at least by the lakefront, have had a nice breeze making for great summer weather.
After the dance a group of us went out for dinner in Printer's Row - nothing fancy but good Chicago bar food - and we sat outside on the sidewalk as we ate.
The conversation was amusing, talked about how the one couple in the group had met, and how they had started to date (and when they both had realized that they were, in fact, dating.
It makes me wonder how I will know if I somehow manage to start dating someone. Somehow it always seemed to me that you get told - but I guess that may not always be the case...
Anyway, nothing too serious, just a couple of nice, fun, relaxing days with friends. Today is a quiet day here at work (not as productive as I would like... which is annoying) - most of the day I will probably spend helping a friend with her PhD dissertation - which feels good to be able to offer some help (grammer, form, readability, and other perspective - hopefully my notes and comments help her)
Tonight, I will be making Chicken curry - a recipe I have created after eating something similar at one of my favorite Thai restaurants. Chicken, Coconut Milk, onions, peas (or corn - I think I am out of peas), and Sweet Potatoes. I quickly pan fry the chicken to brown it slightly, while the chicken is browning I have started cooking the onions in some olive oil and spices to sear in the tastes - then I add coconut milk, the chicken (cut into pieces), a bit of brown sugar, lots of curry powder, a few whole chinese hot peppers, some Thai fish sauce (not too much, strong stuff), some ginger powder and some garlic powder, and some other spices to taste - after a bit of cooking together to get the flavors mixed I add the corn and then let the mixture simmer on low heat for a while. Then about 5 minutes or so before serving I add the sweet potatoes.
At the same time I will be making some Jasmine rice to serve the chicken on top of - should be a great meal. I'll certainly be eating it all weekend most likely - at least twice, perhaps three times over the weekend (I have a little over a pound of chicken to cook).
After cooking my mini-feast tonight, I will be writing - my goal is to write some serious portions of my novel this weekend - at least tonight and all day Saturday I do not currently have any plans - making for a perfect time to work on the novel - possibly I will take my curry and rice and something to drink with me and work from the office - get the music blaring here (perhaps via streaming audio?) and try to crank out a lot of pages - making a run to either the Chicago historical Society, the Newberry, or just looking ont he Internet if I have research questions to answer (my novel involves time travel - I'm looking for notes about Chicago in 1871 and during the Democratic Convention riots in particular - trying to add the little details of historical accuracy that help solidify the image of the time and place)
One decision I am seriously looking at is whether to write it as a novel at all. The sections that I am the happiest with are already mostly dialogue - and I can visualize the storyline as a movie - so I am seriously considering rewriting it as a screenplay.
On the one hand it makes the chances of selling it that much harder (easier to be a first time novelist than a first time screenwriter) - however the financial rewards are much greater with a screenplay - even if never filmed. I also do have some, admitedly minor, connections in Hollywood who might be able to at least read it, and give me suggestions as to who to speak with next (my aunt is a writer who lives in Hollywood hils in LA - would be a very fun excuse to go out to LA to visit my family)
Also, though this is less likely, I can already "see" the whole story and mostly how to film it. My fantasy would be to direct it myself, but more realistically I hope that my vision can translate on the written page - and make it that much easier to sell as it is that much easier to "see" - and I have thought a lot about how to make it fairly easy to film.
What I mean by that is that the whole movie would be a fairly easy to budget affair - a handful of lead and major supporting characters, but a minimum of sets and locations (all of the movie takes place in a small area of Chicago - to film it would require only a handful of locations and a minimum of special effects). It is a storyline that involves a range of characters (both male and female) with roles for actors of many ages - again this could help keep the budget under control.
While a "star" turn or two would be nice - I am envisioning it as a movie with more well known character actors (perhaps even in the lead roles) rather than as a star vehicle for one or two actors - my hope is that all this will help me actually sell it - by making it fit the roster of low-risk films (and not compete for the handful of "blockbuster" slots for a given studio).
I think that my overall concept and storyline and visual arc should be interesting - I touch a number of events of note - but approach them from an angle rarely seen - and while there will be some bits of "homage" inevitable in a time travel story written by a fan of films such as the Back To the Future trilogy - I think that my overall storyline, plot, and characters is sufficiently different to make it clear that while I am a fan I am not trying to rewrite that series.
Anyway, that is my current plan - each time I explain my reasons, they resonate more and more - so I think I will approach this weekend's writings very much from a screenplay format - though I may leave the reformating to correct "screenplay" form for a later week's exercise.
7/05/2002 12:35:00 PM
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Wednesday, July 03, 2002
Fireworks, part 2 - plan changes
Quick note - the current plan for this evening (if anyone reading this will be joining me at the fireworks tonight in Chicago) - is to meet at the North Lion in front of the Art Institute at 6:00 (or at the restaurant across the street in case of rain) - from there we will go to stake out a space in the lawn for the concerts and fireworks. At the moment there between 8 and 10 people expected at 6:00 and at least a couple others who will be joining us later in the evening.
Should be fun - not perfect weather (but that is rare in Chicago) but sounds like a good mix of people - and what's bad about a picnic, live concert, and massive fireworks (okay, so the million or so other people who are also going to be there could be seen as bad... but I am perhaps strange in that I actually usually enjoy being in a large crowd - perhaps because I view it as a living maze to be navigated.)
Tomorrow, the actual 4th, I do not currently have any plans. I am however, considering the following options.
First - returning to the Taste of Chicago for the live afternoon concert in the park, which sounds like it will be fun (Midnight Oil and at least two other groups) - free!
Second - more probable - go and see one of the many movies (or more than one) that are out at present that I have not yet seen - seems like a good afternoon for it - AC, and a chance at an afternoon matinee - however there will be a lot of people with the same idea I suspect - and I do not currently have people to go to the movies with.
I really want to see MIB II, however I also would prefer to see it with friends - next weekend (not this upcoming one, the one after that) I will be seeing at least one movie with friends - a toss up between MIB II and Reign of Fire (I would really like to see both - which may happen if we go crazy...)
7/03/2002 01:49:00 PM
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Tuesday, July 02, 2002
Heat wave and musical notes
Warning - this is a long post, due to a long quote from another site but also to my thoughts afterwords.
This afternoon there is a long discussion on Slashdot about music (the current poll that is running there). Here is two posts that have a list of music that this one poster recommends. Since I like many of these pieces, I suspect I would like the rest of them. So, for my own future reference, here is the full list.
Re:Too rock-centric ... (Score:2)
by Cally (cally@zpok.demo_NOT_THIS_BIT_n.co.uk) on Monday July 01, @06:43AM (#3799850)
I was speculating the other day about which of my CDs I'd repurchase first if my house burnt down (or they were nicked, or whatever). Came up with...:
Pet Shop Boys: Behaviour. I'm not A huge PSB fan by any means but this is stunning. If you like Ennio Moricone, that is. Really really excellent, not much like anything else (AFAIK) that they've done.
New Order: Technique. New Order including Those basslines (and Those Barney lyrics) plus housey sounds and a lot of ecstacy. Undoubtedly their best album. Every track a classic.
Aphex Twin: Ambient Works I (A.W.II is pants.)
Orbital: the one with Halycon+On+on, lush etc.
The Orb, Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld
Kitchens of Distinction: Death of Cool. Obscure british indie band; that they released four superb albums to critical acclaim but very few sales, then broke up, is an indictment of the way the Bizz chews up and spits out talent without discrimination.
the Fugees: The Score
Public Enemy: pick one, personally I like Fear of a Black Planet lots.
Yes: Close to the Edge
U.N.K.L.E.: Psyence Fiction
The ("british") Verve: Urban Hymns
Scritti Politti: Anommie and Bonhomie. Criminally overlooked, after for ten years in production every note and beat is tuned and timed to perfection. Mos Def's rapping is excellent too.
The obvious Floyd stuff; in addition, AMUSED TO DEATH, Roger Water's most recent solo album (wiith Jeff Beck on guitar.) VERY highly recommended,and very pertinent to these times...
Spiritualized: Let It Come Down (most recent album) - god-like genius; this music got me through six months' unemployment last year withot killing myself or anyone else (or -- worse -- learning Java!)
Camaron de la Isla: Antologia
3CD set of the best of Camaron, the sort-of Jimi Hendrix of flamenco. Er, actually more like the Beatles of flamenco, plus the Stones O.F., and the hendrix, the Morrison, the Sex Pistols and the U2 of flamenco. It all starts here with the greatewsst cantaor of the 20th century. For those unfortunates who have never experienced that moment when you first GET flamenco... get some Camaron. Play it. If you don't get it, play it again. Repeat until enlightenment is attained. Congratulations, you are through the pain barrier and your life will never be the same again. See the link in my sig.
Jazz:
Miles Davis: the Birth of Cool.
John Coltrane: A Love Supreme
Classical:
Alfred Brendel playing Mozart;
the Bach cello concertos, plus the Art of Fugue / Musical Offering;
Sibelius;
I'm a sucker for Requim masses (even though I can't spell it? =): the Mozart, the Verdi,...
Contemporary:
Phillip Glass: On the Beach, Glassworks, or perhaps Koyaanisquatsi.
John Adams: Nixon in China; The Wound Dresser.
Brian Eno's ambient stuff (the early ones: music for airports, et al.)
Manic Street Preachers - I'm a huge fan, if I had to replace just one it'd probably be "This is my truth, show me yours"
American Music Club: San Francisco
Mark Eitzel: Caught in a trap and I can't back out because I love you too much baby
Red House Painters: the one with `Evil'
The House of Love: best of
Stone Roses (first album)
King Crimson: tricky, I like something from all the albums... perhaps Larks' Tongues in Aspic has the best hit/miss ratio.
Of course there are tons more that I'll remember once I hit Submit...
Hmmmm, I just noticed I've not listed any American rock music. Odd... well, not really ;)
If you like some or any of these you might like some of the others; check em out if you have the time...
--
Camaron de la Isla
Re:Too rock-centric ... (Score:2)
by Cally (cally@zpok.demo_NOT_THIS_BIT_n.co.uk) on Monday July 01, @07:11AM (#3799903)
(User #10873 Info)
damnation, of course I immediately came up with others:
The Blue Nile: Hats . Played it the other night for the first time in a couple of years, nice to see it can still bring tears to the eyes (in a good way ;)
The Doors: LA Woman. the token white US act =)
Neil Young: hard to say which one... Comes a Time, After the Goldrush, Harvest (perhaps). (live) Rust never sleeps.
Radiohead KidA, OK Computer...
the only good thing to come out of grunge (apart from Dinosaur Jr "Freak Scene" of course): Nirvana's Nevermind, MTV Unplugged...
some Elvis Costello - a best of perhaps.
Nick Cave Best of.
Why has no-one mentioned the Velvet Undergound?!
Bob Marley: perhaps the Legend compilation, or Catch a Fire.
Pavement: Slanted and Enchanted. "Everything's ending here..." The Jinks stuff is pretty cool too, esp. Trojan Curfew.
Slint:...
How could I forget the godlike genius of... Beach Boys "Pet Sounds"?? "Let's go away for a while" is a fsckin' symphony in three minutes.
The Clash "London Calling"... "when they kick in your front door / how you gonna come? / With your hands on your head / Or on the trigger of your gun? / You can crush us/ you can bruise us / but you'll have to answer to / Oh, the guns of Brixton..." How horribly prescient (I speak as a resident of Brixton.)
I have a very different reaction to music than seemingly the rest of America, especially my generation. For me music is nice. I enjoy hearing it. But it is almost never something I pay attention to. It is literally painful and difficult for me to pay attention to the lyrics of a song, it take complete concentration on my part and is next to impossible for me - something about sung words that make them harder (not easier) for me to register them, to understand them, to comprehend the content of the words and lyrics.
As a result music is a very unimportant part of life for me. I like it, I enjoy it, but I do not need it.
I rarely buy music, perhaps buying less than 10 cds in a year (that would be a major year for me). Even the CDs that I own, I rarely listen to, for the most part I listen to music on the radio as background music as I am working.
When I am alone, not in the office, I usually listen to talk radio rather than listen to music radio - something about hearing conversations and discussions is more relaxing for me than hearing most music.
Don't get me wrong, I like music - I enjoy it, I have great memories of concerts I have attended - but the most emotionally connected I have felt to music has tended to be to non-verbal music, classical concerts for example. I also enjoy Opera (mostly not in English) because while listening to it noone really understands the words. The ability of people to remember all the words to a pop song befuddles me, I can only barely comprehend that the sounds sung are words - let alone that they have any sense to them at all - something about how I process and retain information I suspect.
Probably what makes it possible for me to read very quickly and retain it, to have a physical connection to the information such that I can hold the book and basically open it to where I want to be to illustrate some point, is also why I have trouble with sung music.
I lost one of the only relationships I have been in over this point. Music was crucial to her, core to her being. Not the only reason why we did not stay together, but probably one of them - she could not understand the unimportance of music in my life, and perhaps I could not understand the importance of it in hers.
Music seems to serve as an identity for many people - the type and style of music you orient yourself with serves to define the group with in which you belong (Country Music, HipHop, "Alternative", "Heavy Metal" and myrid sub-genres and distinctions within each) - for me however music is either something I enjoy or something I do not - and what I enjoy and don't are all over the mix and range from country to folk to techno to some rock (I guess).
7/02/2002 04:06:00 PM
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Monday, July 01, 2002
Streaking midgets dancing a jig and other tales
As I ate lunch today (late as usual), I thought about this weekend, myself, and my store of anecdotes and tales. I think of myself as having had an interesting life, of having many people I know and stories to tell.
Yet, I find I repeat myself, sometimes with the same person.
In college I was accused of lying by a roommate of mine because there was no way that I could know all the people that I talked about, or have the stories and anecdotes to relate that I did - so of course I was lying (the same roommate was described by floormates as "a man with PMS" so I should take his comments about me with a grain of salt - but even now, years later, his name in fact long forgotten, his comments still resonate and hurt).
So, with a pardon to my friends who have heard this story before, here is the story of the Streaking midget, who did indeed dance a jig. I write this here because if came up in conversation this weekend. Perhaps were I to write down my anecdotes, quibs, quotes, and stories; were I to write all of them down - perhaps then I would write fiction more easily, or perhaps not. I have noticed that the more that I talk about the past, the more that I relate it, the more that I think about it, the more that I observe the past, the more that I will observe and think about the present, leaving me with a neverending supply of anecdotes and tales.
In the past few weeks I have also taken to noting odd snippets of conversations overheard - my current favorite being the conversation I heard on the street - two woman and a man were talking on the sidewalk. One woman said "He's the guy I met in the strip club"
I walked on and missed the context before and after but something about that phrase (the guy I met in the strip club) stuck in my head.
So, back to streaking midgets.
My high school graduation was streaked by a midget, who also danced a jig.
I was there, could I make something like that up?
I have to explain something here first - my high school graduating class was very large, over 660 people, so the graduation ceremony was outside on the football field. The parents were in the stands along the south side of the field, the seniors were all seated on the field, and there was a stage where the valecdictorians (we had 6) were seated along with the deans and principal of the school. North of the football field were four softball/baseball fields, and farther north the school tennis courts. The school over all took up four city blocks. The school building was to the right, there was a street to the left.
In the middle of the ceremony, during a particularly boring valecdictorian speech, a station wagon pulled up on the street to the left. A midget got out, buck naked, and ran across the softball fields. When he reached the field nearest the school buildings he stopped. Danced a jig. And then streaked back to the waiting car.
None of the parents noticed this, at least not that I could tell. They were all looking from far away down at the speaker. The students, bored by the speech, had a clear view of the dancing midget (at least those in the section I was seated in).
The midget was in my class, but not graduating with the rest of the class (bad grades I suspect).
Life is very strange. And as I said, how could I make something like this up?
7/01/2002 04:01:00 PM
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A quiet hot weekend
For once my office's ac is working, and just in time for a small heat and humidity wave here in Chicago. While it does sound as if something it hovering above my head waiting to take off, it is cool and fairly comfortable here in my office for once (which is not at all usual for this building).
This weekend was a quiet one for me, nothing much happened. I had a nice brunch and conversation with a friend on Sunday. We talked about writing and pieces we are both working on, as well as pieces by other friends, then our conversation continued into a technical discussion about some programming challenges, not a bad way to spend an afternoon.
I wrote a bit this weekend, but not fiction. Instead I started a number of semi-technical articles, which are, however a productive use of my time to write. I need to write more stuff like this, and not just write it, but make it available on my corporate website as examples of the type of analysis and thought that I can apply towards a client's problems - or at least that is the theory - we shall see what I in fact do with them. Mostly two seperate articles, one on the current state of AI research, and the other on a detailed analysis of one client's technology and market opportunities - that I will probably not make public but may share with the client.
This week will be a quiet one for me I suspect, interupted by the holiday on Thursday, Friday will be a day when few people are at their desks. So while I will still make attempts at business sales calls and other business items, it is also a week for taking stock, for catching up, for getting ready for the rest of the summer.
One task I did accomplish this weekend was some grocery shopping, so this week I will be cooking most of my meals at home. Nothing too fancy, but perhaps my definition of "not too fancy" is a slight understatement. Last night I had two apple sausages (from a great somewhat local vendor called Amy's, chicken and apple sausages, very yummy). I semi-steamed them on a pan for a few minutes to get them warm and plump. I heated up some applesause to serve over them, and I made a salad. The salad was boston lettuce (very nice) with apple, walnuts, raisons, and radishes (for future reference I would probably drop the radishes) with a balsamic vinager dressing - the combination of the apples and the balsamic vinager was very good. I added a touch of sea salt and it worked out very well.
Tonight I will probably make another salad (very similar, but may add a touch of lettuce) and finish the rest of the sausages. On Tuesday I plan on making some tuna salad to eat with some pita bread that I purchased, may also have some humus as well.
On Wednesday I will have my picnic for the fireworks here in Chicago - not sure what I will be bringing, still not sure how many people will be in attendance in our group. One item I have planned is a nostalgic summer snack - celery with peanut butter and raisons. Probably also something non-alchoholic to drink (but may have to watch that it is not in a glass bottle, I suspect that the Chicago police may frown on glass in the park this year). If the group is small, I will probably also bring something more solid to eat as well - but it has to be something that I can prepare Tuesday night and bring with me to work on Wednesday, which does limit my options somewhat. Also, because it will be a hot summer night I probably should avoid anything that would not do well in the heat, so no tuna fish and no chicken salad or the like. I may make a cold pasta salad (with no mayo, probably with a vinager base - with celery, onions, sausage, and perhaps cheese?).
7/01/2002 12:49:00 PM
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