Reading

I used to inhale books. I used to consume them with such a passion; nose stuck halfway through one, while a stack, ten high, teetered next to me. I kept paperbacks in my back pocket and hardcovers in my book bag. I read. I was a reader.

Now, not so much. Sure, I still have a stack sitting next to my bed. And I have a hard time passing a used book store, but I can no longer call myself a reader. It takes me months to finish just a few hundred pages. I read one, two pages at a time and get a little board. I no longer read at night. I'm content to fall asleep watching tv or, god help me, listening to podcasts.

I jump from book to book to magazine to newspaper all in the same hour. I can tell you the titles of the five or so books I'm reading right now, but not really much else. Don't ask me for names of the characters or plot points. I'll just stare back, unknowingly.

That was all true until I found out the Urbana Free Library sells books. Remember how I can't pass up a used book? Stuck in the corner, barely visible behind a famously bad hardcover about what I can only assume is a killer cat, sat Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential. My hungry eyes picked it out immediately.

It's been three days. I'm nearly finished. It's captured my attention and held it and I can hardly think of anything else.

Lagunitas: Chicago addition

I've never heard of a small brewery doing this before, but Lagunitas, one of my favorite beer makers, is starting a brewery in Chicago in addition to their California location.

But other breweries are doing similar things. Sierra Nevada and New Belgium are opening places halfway across the country. This is exciting. This means the "smaller" breweries in the country can start to compete with the macrobrewers. I realize these microbrews are hardly micro at this point, but it's a start.

The Hideout 15th Anniversary

This weekend I went to the 15th anniversary for the Hideout. It was amazing being there. I love that club and the view is amazing as noted by the picture. Made me really miss living in the city.

Two hours of sleep was not really the most ideal way to see the festival but that's how it is. The biggest surprise was Kids These Days, a band of highschoolers. They killed. Full of youthful energy and excitment, but still had well written songs, they made me feel old.

Andrew Bird was the headline and did some great things (and I know I'm not going to make fans saying this) but I did not enjoy his show. He did a cool thing with a mesh whail and had a girl come out with an amazing voice, but the whole thing felt pretentious.

Now, Mavis Staples is another story. She put on the best show I've ever seen. She has more presents on stage than anyone, and her voice is so amazing.

That's not writting. It's typing.

I recently became the proud borrower of a typewriter. It's in the basement bar on my table. It sits next to my plant and I've been using it every day. Lately, I've been hitting a bit of a slump. I can't seem to finish my work like I used to. I think this little, blue Remington will get me out of my funk.

I'm calling it a phase shift. Writting on my computer is no longer working. Something about it is causing more harm than good. Maybe it's the easy access to internet. Or maybe it's the lack of a desk, but I just can't do it anymore.

Perhaps it will work, maybe not. But that thing sure is fun. And it's loud. I'm going to keep it up. Exercises that muscle. Change over that phase.

Blogging on the Go

I just downloaded the Squarespace app for my droid phone. (Another great thing about having this thing in my pocket, I become one of those dicks who blogs at the bar) For the most part it's really great. I can check my views. I can write knew posts wherever I want. I can do other things that mean something. But my one gripe, and really the only reason I would use this app with any regularity if it worked correctly, you can't resize the photos or add captions. I'd like to take pictures and post lame and snarky comments. It's what makes the internet go round. I tried it on the beta and it didn't work so I am assuming it wont work right again. If I had it my way this blurry picture of nothing important would be the right size and say something stupid underneath it. But I fear neither will happen. Here it goes...