Last night I took the little man to a vegan potluck/show. Both the food and company were excellent. It was especially good to see Chelsea, recently returned from ten months in Paris. Sadly we didn’t stick around long enough for Teen Eagle’s set, but the little man did get to play with their equipment. He wasn’t half bad on the drums.

On a grander scale, I would’ve loved to have been at the Secret Kitchen event in NYC on Wednesday…with an eight course gourmet meal prepared by vegan queen Isa Chandra Moskowitz, and entertainment by the band Man Man. The idea alone had me geeking out, but seeing the video only made it that much worse. Looks like it was a fantastic event.

Speaking of Man Man, they’re playing the Wicker Park Fest in July. That could be a good excuse to go back down to Chicago…

Bonus: This photo series, Dreams of Flying by Jan Von Holleben, is indescribably beautiful. Go look.
Plus: I have a love of Love of Diagrams. I’ve had their s/t release on repeat the last couple of days. Go listen.
And: I’d just come across the Control trailer via Stereogum when James sent me a link to the SuicideGirls article. I was skeptical when I first heard an Ian Curtis biopic was being made, but this sneak peek was pretty promising. Go watch.

The world is sending me mixed messages. When I was still high on life after my awesome weekend getaway, I was thinking that the Year of Sharyn had finally begun. It felt like it might’ve been slowly ramping up before Chicago, and that it had maybe gone full-blown. And that thought made me happy. Naturally life had to flip me off a few times, to keep me from getting too happy.

The bad:

• On the way to the co-op our car was rear-ended by an SUV, while the driver was talking on a cell phone, of course. The little man and I are ok but the bumper is dented. I’ll have to follow up with the dude’s insurance company and this is the last thing I want to deal with.
• On Wednesday I received some “Summary of Abatement” bullshit in the mail from the city. An inspector had been on my property on Tuesday and written up some vague comments about cleaning up my yard, ordering me to take care of these things by Friday (yes, giving me just three days to do so). I’ve been playing phone tag with the guy trying to figure out what the hell he is talking about. And now it is Friday already.
• The cherry on top? Some bad but not entirely unexpected news from the I.R.S.

The good:

• The little man is doing well.
• I feel like I’m kinda sorta getting this house stuff under control. Or at least on the path.
• Our new cat, Olive, settled right in like she’s always been with us.
• I thoroughly enjoy the folks I’ve been spending time with lately. I’ve been having all kinds of fun.
• Tonight? Vegan potluck/reunion with an old friend. Very much looking forward to that.

Bonus: Next weekend the Riverview Theater will be having a Buffy the Vampire Slayer sing-a-long at midnight. I imagine they will be playing the Once More, With Feeling episode.
Plus: Geeks of Doom tipped me off to Enchanted, a live action/animated rom-com, with music. The little man and I have watched the trailer four times now. We’ll be seeing it come November.
And: Last night I ate sushi in bed (vegan-friendly, of course) and I am ok with that.

My whirlwind weekend tour of Chicago exceeded expectations. So much so that I don’t even know how to recap it. Lists can’t adequately convey the fabulousness but it’s all I’ve got.

Friday:

• Rolled in to Chicago during evening rush hour, but was guided by the amazing Emily, over the phone, to her cute little neighborhood. I was a bit nervous about meeting her for the first time but I needn’t have been. She rules. Not only did she put me up for the weekend and play tour guide, she was hella fun to hang out with. And her boyfriend is super swell too.
• After getting settled in and coming up with a game plan we decided to venture over to Amitabul, an all-vegan Korean restaurant, for a little dinner before the show at Beat Kitchen.
• How awesome was it being chauffeured around by a Chicago native? Downright dreamy.
• Tornavalanche with their two drummers? So so good.
• After a long day of driving I apparently fell asleep while Emily was in mid-sentence. Doh! I could’ve at least done that while I was in mid-sentence. How rude.

Saturday:

• In the morning Emily led me to what is now one of my all-time favorite coffee shops, Atomix. It’s a big sunny room with gorgeous murals, a photobooth, an array of vegan muffins and other baked goods to choose from, beverages with names like Mr. Turtle, and a proprietor who looks like a young John Malkovich. What’s not to love?
• Drank WAY too much coffee and freaked out like a complete dork before going downtown to meet James.
• Calmed down and took James to Karyn’s Cooked for lunch. The slab of bbq “ribs” entree was delish, as were the slices of pie we ordered to go. (We wound up eating those for dinner later but hey, I was on vacation.)
• Mosied on to Rotofugi for a little toy shopping, then popped in to Vigilante Press, a lovely comic book store. Then it was back to Atomix for some coffee and photobooth fun.
• We went back downtown, to be touristy at Millennium Park before the Arcade Fire show (where no photography was allowed). Little did we know we were right smack dab in the middle of an evacuation zone, after a crane crashed into a nearby building. Weird.
• Post-show we ate vegan pecan pancakes at the Pick Me Up.

Sunday:

• We played it by ear. Started out at Atomix again, then moved on to the Garfield Park Conservatory, which was lovely. Especially as the weather had turned all cold and cruddy.
• Dinner was going to be had at the Chicago Diner, but that was too close to Wrigley Field, where a baseball game had just ended. Instead we wound up at Earwax. This was for the best. There was something for everyone (I was the only vegan in the group anyhow) and damn, my milkshake was good.
• I wanted to end the evening with a movie so we saw the light-hearted Waitress, which was just the thing.

Monday:

• In the morning I felt like I could sleep for a week but instead I hightailed it out of the city. Or tried to. Got stuck in morning rush hour near Midway Airport.
• Halfway through Wisconsin two things happened 1: I realized I wouldn’t be able to get to the little man’s bus stop in time to pick him and so enlisted J’s help and 2: it got crazy hot and I had to change clothes at a rest stop.
• After this point I was 1: hella bored and 2: not in such a rush. I allowed myself to stop a little more frequently, to take in the sights…such as a giant pink elephant wearing eyeglasses, and I took a long hike up to a scenic overlook.

Getting back into the groove of Normal Life mode has been difficult, compounded by intense forward momentum. Today’s highlights included closing on my home equity loan, procuring yet another epi-pen for the little man (who is now so large he needs the adult sized version rather than the epi-pen jr.), and having the Seestedt’s guy come over to measure the kitchen floor and stairs. This was all topped off by being home while the house was being powerwashed, which is a lot like living inside a car wash. Very weird. But the prep has begun. In the coming days there will be scraping, priming, and painting. Also? My friend Mike will be starting on the inside tomorrow. Patching plaster, tearing down the last of the wallpaper, and other general prep before he begins his painting. It’s all really happening. But more than one person has pointed out…now that the house will finally be fixed up all nice-like I might not want to move. Hmmm.

Bonus: Summer show season is upon us. Today I found out about two. Whitejazz plays again, Saturday night, at Memory Lanes. Then June 9th is a NE Block Party, featuring Low and MC/VL. I am so there.
Plus: I’m preparing to watch the season finale of Heroes (dang, it’s getting late, maybe tomorrow night) but I wonder how many viewers know about the Primatech Paper Company web site. I filled out their bogus registration form, and today was sent this link to the Yamagato Fellowship site. Check it out, if you are so inclined.
And: Tonight I missed both the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club show at First Avenue and the Michael Chabon reading at The Fitzgerald. It’s just as well. I was too tired to do either, and should really turn in soon.

Wherever people gather in numbers, in meatspace or online, trouble is sure to follow. This week two brouhahas have been particularly disheartening to me, as they involved my favorite photography-related venues. First there was the JPG magazine mess, and then the flickr=censorship fiasco.

A list of happier things:

• More Flight of the Conchords-induced joy. The pilot episode of their fictionalized adventures can now be seen online. Earlier I watched it in full, and may watch it again before bed. But I am not like their stalker-fangirl Mel. Honest.
• The little man asked me to get him some make up…so he can dress up like a mime. He must not know that mimes are nearly universally hated, much like their clown cousins. That, or he knows and just doesn’t give a damn.
• Tornavalanche will be playing in Chicago Friday night. Yay for me!
• Today the governor signed the statewide smoking ban into law. It goes into effect October 1st.
• I’m in love with Marmoleum. No, it’s not edible. Though it is billed as being “natural” - as it’s an eco-friendly flooring material made of linseed oil, wood flour, rosin, jute and limestone. Sadly it costs three times as much as vinyl flooring so I’ll likely be using something cheaper when I re-do the kitchen floor, but maybe at my next house…

Bonus: There’s a bunch of stuff going on this weekend in the Twin Cities, as usual, but I won’t be here. Chicago will totally be worth it but I do so love Art-a-Whirl.
Plus: Congratulations to Starbody and her brand new Starbaby - he’s beautiful!
And: I might have time to sneak in Fay Grim this weekend, but won’t get a chance to watch Henry Fool beforehand.

Feeling overwhelmed has become the norm lately. So despite (or maybe because of) the impending madness of the week, I’m already looking ahead to the weekend. Things that need doing before I leave for Chicago:

• Getting an oil change (done);
• Enlisting someone to feed the cat;
• Loads and loads of laundry;
• Packing a bag for myself and one for the little man;
• Reminding grandma that she’s taking the lad for the weekend;
• Procuring snacks and sounds for the long drive down;
• Thanking the lovely Emily for offering to put me up for the duration of my stay.

And those are just my Chicago-related To Dos. I won’t bore you with my regular life list. That’s what Backpack is for. But some of the more exciting keywords include home equity loan and bill collectors.

Bonus: Once again the Fabulist provided me with a much-needed smile.
Plus: A friend was down in Chicago over the weekend (to see Bjork, how jealous am I?) and recommends the Handlebar for good, vegan-friendly grub. Definitely adding that to the ever-expanding list, but I’d need to be in Chicago for at least a week to hit up all the restaurants on it.

Friday’s word-of-the-day was frustration. For so many reasons. Mainly dental. The little man’s followup appointment didn’t go very well. First off, we showed up on time only to be told they’d had some scheduling snafu. After much hand-wringing we were asked to come back in two hours. When we did, the little man was wrapped up in a special blanket (he looked like a big burrito) so his hands would be restrained. He had both novacaine and nitrous but this did little to calm him. During his last dental ordeal he had to be put under, all the way, due to acute situational anxiety. This time he was alert enough to struggle during his sealants, which had to be re-done. Then the poor kid puked up his PB&J while they were taking an impression of his teeth (one of the hygienists remarked that she wouldn’t be eating peanut butter again any time soon). The worst part came at the end, though, when the dentist told him “you’re going to feel my fingers for a second” while she swooped in and yanked out one of his teeth. He was understandably upset, but the poor little man was inconsolable for a long while afterwards and cried himself hoarse. But back at home we spent the afternoon cuddling in the comfy chair with the cat. Glad that’s over with, but we have to go back soon - for space maintainer installation. Wheeeeee!

Saturday was a better day. I made blueberry pancakes. The lad’s swimming lesson went well. I reviewed my exterior painting bids and selected a contractor, and paint colors. Then friends came over. Two of them (which equals 1/2 of Charles de Gaulle) stayed to hang out with the little man while the third joined me for the Geek Prom. The evening was going swimmingly. A little OmniTheater action - though that did make me motion sick - the Gonzo Gong Show/Geek Talent Show, a science experiment, the spaz dance contest, the coronation. And then. We got maced. An annual part of the Geek Prom is the geek-streak. Yes, naked geeks, running around. Sadly an overzealous cop must not have gotten the memo because he pepper-sprayed these nude dudes. Yasmine and I didn’t bear the brunt of it, but we got hit with enough of the stuff to feel seriously icky. I found another eyewitness account, and Chuck is gathering video and photos and will be posting something to MN Stories before long.

Oh yeah, and Happy Mother’s Day to me. This is the first time in years that we haven’t had actual Mother’s Day plans, but no one proposed any. So the little man and I are just lounging at home. And that is a-ok.

Bonus: Foosball used to be my game, but even when I was in top form I was never good enough for this.

My Chicago plans have unraveled a bit. This afternoon I found out that the friend who was going to put me up, well he is now going to be out of town that weekend. So I am without lodging. Looks like I’ll be forking over some cash, and losing a certain degree of comfort, by staying at a hostel. For joy.

In non-sarcastic joy related news, the mid-90s Minneapolis dream pop outfit, The Legendary Jim Ruiz, is performing tomorrow night in the 7th Street Entry. I’d love to go, but life is already too busy. Also on the too-busy tip, seems I’ve scored free tickets to a screening of Crazy Love Thursday night at the Lagoon but I don’t think I’ll be able to make it. And speaking of movies, The Motel looks equally promising and cringeworthy. The filmmakers have a blog at pubertysucks.com. Gotta love that.

Hard to believe but tomorrow will mark the 18th anniversary of my brother’s death. He will have been dead now nearly as long as he was alive. Words fail.

Bonus: This morning a co-worker pointed out GreenDimes. It’s a service that will do the work for you to get your name off junk mail lists, to reduce the amount that makes it to your mailbox, and then they also have a tree planted for you monthly. Neat.
Plus: I’ve been a long-time fan of Jessamyn but must admit, I haven’t gotten over to libarian.net lately. But she was boing-boinged today for making a video about how to install Ubuntu - on some machines that were donated to her library. So awesome. And yes, I do Ubuntu too.
And: Poor Galadriel is looking more like a zombie queen than an elf queen. I don’t think all shall love her, but we might just despair.

The weekend was eventful, but less so than it could have been. I scaled back our activities as the little man and I were both feeling a bit fried. We skipped the Walker’s Family Day and the Cinco de Mayo celebrations and most of the May Day festivities and all of Mondo. What we did attend was enjoyable. Highlights included Naked Raygun, a kid’s birthday party, and a potluck with friends.

Random noise:

• Being quiet is hard.
• There’s another new episode of Heroes tonight. Just three more to go!
• Sometimes the little man tries to sniff my feet. I don’t know why.
• I’m liking the new flickr uploadr for OSX. More filtering options and all.
• Just found out about these MOO notecards. I already have a serious stationery fetish. The ability to create notecards from my own photos is only going to make this worse. Much worse.
• The real computer monster.
• The first of the His Dark Materials movies, Golden Compass, will be released in December. As with the release of Stardust I am equally excited and nervous. I love the books so much, what if the adaptations don’t hold up? But still. Seeing the teaser poster gave me a little thrill. And at the official site? I found my own daemon (via Pop Astronaut).
• Less than two weeks to go before I head down to Chicago, and get to meet James and Emily in person. Squeeeee!

Bonus: Just because I was in need of bonus warm fuzzies.

All week I’ve been feeling really low energy and my attention…it wanders. Somehow I’ve managed to accomplish a few important tasks though. Like taking Olive to the vet to be spayed and taking the kid to the dentist. Considering his oral hygiene history, the latter was somewhere between worst and best case scenario. We’re going back next week for the follow up. If I’m lucky maybe they’ll be playing that little ditty about Jack and Diane in the waiting room again (or still) so that I’ll never get it out of my head.

I heard rumors of some LARPing going on in Brackett Field the other night. I conveyed this information to a friend over IM, along with a link to the Iron Man Mark III Suit. It was a bit muddled, admittedly, so he came to the conclusion that it was Iron Man specific LARPing. Now that would be something.

The Yiddish Policeman’s Union by Michael Chabon was already at the top of my reading list, but tonight I heard him talking about it on Fresh Air. He so easily articulates feelings I’ve had trouble putting into words. I’ve spent way too much of my life on the “what if” story, rewriting my personal history in my head. But he’s done that on a grander scale, just as other alternative history novels have done. A personal favorite of mine is The Years of Rice and Salt. Chabon was inspired, at least partially, by Lest Darkness Fall - about what would have happened if Rome never fell. I’ll have to read that too, after I read Chabon’s latest.

Bonus: I’ve posted before about The Codex Seraphinianus - which must be seen to be believed. But this article raises a good point…how mysterious is a mysterious text if the author is still alive (and emailing)? Yet the author of the essay still goes on about its coquettish impenetrability.
Plus: I’ve been invited back to Geek Prom this year. But what to wear? Hmmm.
And: Along with about a billion and one other things going on this Saturday, it’s also free comic book day.