If Only Mom & Candy Had Been There, Too...

Thursday during lunch, Jessica and I played Skip-Bo while enjoying spray cheese & crackers. (I will not be a poor winner and gloat about which one of us was victorious.) Next Friday is her last day at PIL, so we have to squeeze in as much fun and silliness at the office as we can....

A Man of the People

My now-very-eager-to-please alderman, Joe "Fois Gras No" Moore of Chicago's 49th Ward, became a local hero last night after chasing down a purse-snatcher. (I highly doubt that Don Gordon, his recent challenger in the runoff election, would have done the same.)

Prima Pasta!

Last night Heidi and I had dinner at Anteprima, a fabulous new little restaurant in Andersonville. The food was flavorful and perfectly cooked (grilled octopus as a starter, then I had a gnocchi-type pasta with pancetta...mmm...), and we split a delicious bottle of Italian wine. The cozy interior was designed by the same person who did M. Henry. We had attentive service, a nice seat by the window, and really enjoyed the whole evening. It didn't hurt that we had a great conversation, too!

Springtime Lillies

My cousin Chris and his wife, Marlene, recently had a baby daughter, Lilly Danelle. As you can see, she is quite adorable! And ready for the spotlight.

"A Daily Show Approach to the Environment"

This Sunday on PBS's NOW, they profiled Grist.org, a Web site dedicated to environmental news and commentary. Here's how they describe themselves:

At Grist, we believe that news about green issues and sustainable living doesn't have to be predictable, demoralizing, or dull. We butter the vegetables! And add salt! And strain metaphors!

We exist to tell the untold stories, spotlight trends before they become trendy, and engage the apathetic. We're fiercely independent in our coverage; we throw brickbats when they're needed and bestow kudos when they're warranted. And while we take our work seriously, we don't take ourselves seriously, because of the many things this planet is running out of, sanctimonious tree-huggers ain't one of them.

Grist: it's gloom and doom with a sense of humor. So laugh now -- or the planet gets it.

I encourage you to check it out!

Live Girls

This afternoon I went to the play "Live Girls" at Stage Left Theatre. (My friend Cat is an ensemble member there.) It was about a performance artist who interviews a porn star, and it tackled the ideas of truth, art, and pornography. The acting was a little over-the-top, but the themes were interesting. I like this little theater because they always present topical, thought-provoking works.

Wearing High Heels as a Spiritual Discipline

Today at church we had a Service of Leave-Taking for Katie, the fabulous woman who's been interning at Holy Covenant for the last two years. She gave a candid and touching sermon, and then she was presented with gifts from the congregation: a book of memories and photos, a print of a painting of the church, and a stole made by Lesley, Jen, and many others. We all laid hands on Katie to bless her in her journey (she'll soon be a pastor in Louisiana), and after the service we celebrated with a reception in the church gallery. Soon we'll be having three new interns starting. But they'll never replace Katie!

You Should Be Dancing

Last night Carrie took me to the Atheaeum Theatre to see Journey: A Day of Joel Hall Dance. There were some very interesting performances, though some of them were a little too gimmicky for my taste (going from S&M nuns to a dance about the crucifixion, for instance). It seemed like dance for people who don't usually go to dance performances. Nonetheless, there were some very talented dancers, and the show overall was quite entertaining.

Love Cats

When they aren't tearing around the apartment, attacking each other, Sisu and Henry are actually quite sweet....

Jen the Photo Master

Last night Lisa, Carrie, and I went to Jen's art opening at Columbia--part of the graduation process for her masters in photography. Rich, Scott, Linda, and Gary from church were there, too. Jen's photos (she focuses on images of collections) looked great! After the show, we met up with Jen's sister and sister-in-law and went out for some killer margaritas. Congratulations, Jen!

All Work and No Play...

Most of the time we work really hard, but sometimes we have to let off a little steam....

Penn-Ultimate

Last night Carrie came with me to Schuba's to see Michael Penn. This was my second time seeing him live there, and he put on another great show. There were chairs this time, which was nice on the feet, but it added a subdued element to an already mellow crowd. I'd guess there were a hundred or so people there, and they were very polite (listening attentively; clapping appreciatively; no shouts to hear "the one about the black pants"). MP seemed a little more surly this time around, although he was appreciative of the three people who spoke at the open mike (telling two jokes and one factoid about Walter Reed hospital). The mike was Michael's way of killing time between songs without him having to always think of clever things to say (and, as he pointed out, Bush-bashing--his previous time-filling method--is now like shooting fish in a barrel). The music, of course, was fabulous. It was just Michael on guitar with a keyboardist to back him up. My favorite songs were "Me Around," "Cupid's Got a Brand New Gun," and my all-time MP favorite, "I Can Tell." He ended with "No Myth" and didn't come back for any encores. He also didn't stick around for photos and autographs, which was kind of disappointing. I guess he did after the second show; next time I'll go to that one instead. Regardless, it was a treat to hear him live again. And I highly recommend his new best-of album, Palm & Runes, Tarot & Tea, or any of his other albums ("Resigned" is my favorite of the bunch).

Carbon Footprints in the Sand

Do you know what your carbon footprint is? (Based on this calculator, mine is 6.79 metric tons of CO2/year.) Here are some ways to help reduce it.

Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!

I wonder how many times in a week I'd have to switch the no-whining bracelet....

Neighborhood Sights & Smells

Tonight when I took

Scout and Chloe for a walk, I brought my camera along to snap some notable sights (signs, artwork, the nearby park where the dogs sometimes run around) and good-smelling spots in our neighborhood. (Personally, I prefer the lilacs to the fire hydrant, but the dogs beg to differ.)

Pooches at the Park

It was so beautiful out yesterday, I decided to take the dogs to Pooch Park in Evanston. They like to play in the agility area, although yesterday there was a couple there with a little kid--and food! How stupid are they? The dogs had a great time anyway and wore themselves out, so we were all happy.

Madagascar's Delicate Balance

Madagascar is struggling to balance the needs of its people with the need to conserve its precious animals and plants. Thanks to Dereck for the tip about tonight's Nightline special and this related article.

A Place of Grace

Today was Covenant Sunday in church, where the congregation made their pledges for the Capital Campaign. Pastor Trey gave a wonderful sermon about space and place, and then we all took stones from the baptismal font and began the metaphoric foundation of an altar. From initial gifts alone, people have already pledged more than $146,000. That's such a blessing because it means we can get the most vital repair work done (the roof and balcony). And it's also indicative of how passionately people feel about this church. On a personal note, I've really enjoyed working on this campaign--and I'll admit that I'm glad it's almost done!

Game Night in the Grove

Last night we had Game Night at Mary Beth's house in Downers Grove. It was so much fun to see Nora and Owen again! They were shy at first, but once the train set came out (and kept getting destroyed--"Oh, no!"), they were happy to play with us big kids. Joanna called, so we passed the phone around. She filled us in on Alejandro's first birthday--apparently he is no fan of pinatas. Or cake. There are lots of developments in their adoption case, and we just keep hoping they'll catch a break and be able to come home soon. Man, do I miss her! We celebrated Jill's birthday, ate dinner (MB made a delicious jambalaya), and eventually got around to playing some games (Remote Possibilities, Apples to Apples, and Teams of Enemies). I was 0-for-3, but it didn't matter. I still had a great time.

Relaxing with Randi (and Goethe!)

Yesterday I went out to Downers Grove to hang out with my friend Randi, who I hadn't seen in almost a year. It was great to catch up with her! And there was lots to catch up on.... We sat in her lovely backyard and talked, while Goethe, her fabulous black lab, tried to convince me to play fetch. How could I resist? Next time I'll have to bring my dogs along, too.

A Toast to Katie

After dinner at Lisa's on Friday, we headed down to the south Loop to Dan's place for a good-bye party for Katie (the awesome woman who's been an intern at Holy Covenant for the last two years). A lot of people from church were there to share fond stories of Katie and wish her well. We're really going to miss her!

Tequila!

Friday night, Lisa had Carrie and me over for a fabulous Mexican dinner. She made margaritas, guacamole, an enchilada casserole, rice, refried beans, and chocolate souffles for dessert. Man, can that woman cook! Lisa was also generous with the variety of tequilas she brought back from her recent trip across the border. We tried a few of them, and Lisa even ate the worm from one. (Yuck!)

'ello, Guvnuh!

Last night Kelly and I went to Kerri's to play Puerto Rico with her and her husband, Martin. I actually thought I might pull out a win this time around...but I was bested by Kerri. (Matt Howie!) I still love that game, though. I have started a new tradition of breaking something every time I go to Kerri's, and this time the item was a dining room chair. At least Libby and I both landed safely. One good thing about having a well-padded rear end!

Happy Birthday, Jill!

Yesterday Mary Beth, Kerri & Libby, Kelly & Evelyn & Sophia, and I joined Jill for a birthday lunch at Bennigan's. All the girls were in high spirits (and quite entertaining). And speaking of entertainment, Jill was lucky enough to get a birthday serenade by the whole Bennigan's crew. Slainte!

Writes & Wrongs: Serial Drama

Recently I've had some impassioned conversations about the serial comma. (Yes, really.) Most of the editors I know feel very strongly about including the final comma before the word "and" in a series because it lessens the likelihood of ambiguity or confusion. (Just about everyone has now heard the example of eats, shoots, and leaves.) Others--mainly those familiar with AP style--feel that this comma is unnecessary, that it takes too much extra space or time to include it. But I--and most of my word geek friends (many of whom edit for a living)--feel very strongly about including this comma as a standard means of clarity in writing. And isn't that really what good editing is all about?