A visitation from Ren/Wren

Last night we watched the documentary Hell House which was possibly scarier than The Ring, since those people are real. It was also psychologically unnerving in a different way, since it was pulling up all sorts of experiences from my adolescent years spent in the church youth group. Not that we ever did a Hell House, attended a Hell House, or even had a theology that matched those Hell House churches, but god knows some of those people were around me some, because Christians come in all shapes and sizes and levels of damnation, and they can intermingle occasionally at large events like summer choir camp and mission trips.

Despite the troubling movie as well as some unnerving feelings and conversations at bedtime, everything felt resolved and positive, even if not concluded and I fell asleep fairly settled. I drifted off around 11:30ish maybe.

( not just a nightmare...might be too 'supernatural' for some people's taste, just to warn you )

Forget the first robin of spring.

mintwaster wrote about how on the first day in Chicago where it's above 50 degrees, you spot the first stupid white guy wandering around in shorts and t-shirt and sandals. It's inevitable. I'd like to add another phenomenon to the list.

On the first day over 70 degrees (i.e. yesterday), I spot this guy's cousin -- he's not only sporting shorts, but usually flip-flops, a tank top (in this case it was tie-dyed), sunglass with some rubber band helping to keep them on his head, SUNBURNT, and drunk. Like it's already fcking middle of the day Taste of the Chicago/Jazzfest/Fourth of July parade. No, it's a Monday evening in April and that's just too excessive.

There seemed to be lots of inappropriate(ly drunk) people in my neighborhood yesterday around 5:30 pm when I was going to the corner store and deli. Then I went by the Vic and noticed that Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers were playing in the evening. That explained a lot.

Personally I'm sporting an on old "St. John's athletic department" t-shirt today, despite having never gone to Catholic school. I just like the shade of baby blue and how the iron-on letters are peeling off.

Five not-so-secret confessions. Plus one.

1. I purchased Lil Kim's new album on the day it came out (February). I listened to it in the background a couple times that evening, then didn't touch it again. Yesterday I listened to it on the way to work and quite enjoyed it.

2. By contrast, yesterday I purchased Lucinda Williams new album and listened to it once at work, twice at home in the evening, nearly twice this morning. She could release an album of her outgoing voicemail message and I would probably enjoy it thoroughly. Sometimes I like having musicians that I love unconditionally and unapologetically and don't have to sit objectively and critique their work.

3. At the office, I eat lots and lots of the treats that people bring to share and I almost never bring in treats for the rest of the office.

4. I have a fear of full-grown poodles. No story. I just don't like them.

5. I think smoking is cool and sexy. Sure, the byproducts are dirty and smelly and extremely unhealthy and run by a fcked-up evil industry. But the act itself, the moment when it's occurring, is beautiful to me. I may never fully quit, even if I go years without having one.

6. I have a little crush on littleblueworld.