Episodes from a laundromat…
I love laundry day. The smell of freshly laundered clothing is very comforting to me. I find that my trips to the Laundromat turn into my Zen time. It is a solid 1 to 2 hour span of time where I have virtually no distractions outside of the switch from washing to drying. I usually take this opportunity to read or write letters to friends back home. If I am lucky the time is spent in observation of the mad world that is around me. This laundry day was of the latter. As I am folding my downy fresh garments three young girls no older than 8 are behind me calculating how to retrieve the final plastic egg out of a quarter machine. This machine encages an unusual metal chicken painted an unnatural yellow color. First they use their tiny hands, squeezing them through the out door, a mission that did allow them to touch the egg but not grab it. Then one girl gets a bright idea and pulls a pencil out of her small purse that looked as if it were created with the Bedazzler. Still no victory for the team. They argued amongst themselves about whose turn it was to try and such. As the last girl puts in her efforts her sidekick yells, “Go on girl.” I wonder to myself where the mothers of these children are – probably caught up in their Zen day too. At last, admitting defeat one girl replies, “Well YOU would have been stealing anyway.” I was entertained by their actions, but completely enthralled by their dialog. One of them got bossy at some point and the other says to her “I’m unna do you like you did me.” Hmmm… I wonder what that means. The rest of their discussion was decorated with ghetto slang that even I was unfamiliar with (you know, I am so street and all). While I was amused, I found myself mildly saddened of my brief glance into part of the future.
This weekend was full of good times. Friday Laurie and I filled our bellies with fish ‘n chips and half ‘n halfs at J. Patrick’s. Saturday was a fundraiser at Northbeach. We drank way too much and then moved to Exit to drink even more. It was the first time we have gotten Jen to go to Exit and we had a BLAST! I indulged in my new weakness- cigars. This new hobbie started back in October when I attended a bachelor party (Ah the beauties of having guys as best friends). All the guys were smoking cigars and I had to prove I could hang with them like I promised I could. Let me tell you, it is a bit awkward being a girl in this environment after the paid “help” went home. Anyway, back to the story- I love the cigars. I do not smoke them often so it is always a delight when I do. Aside from the lovely cigar, Jen and I met Jesus the Carpenter and she asked him all the important questions in life like “Can you work on my new house?” and “Can your friend get me a good rate on a mortgage?” It was really quite moving. After closing the bar and picking Laurie up from falling on her ass a couple times, we went home. The rest of the evening… errr morning, was spent eating queso and watching Aqua Teen Hunger Force. I also started a photo project that I am very excited about.
Current soundtrack: A cover of Postal Service’s “Such Great Heights” by Iron & Wine, a cover of Tears for Fears “Mad world” by Gary Jules, Death Cabs “Transatlanticism”.
Live shows coming up that make me happy to be living in Chicago: Death Cab for Cutie w/ Ben Kweller, DJ Shadow, Lyrics Born, Method Man, A Perfect Circle w/ Mars Volta, Pinback w/ Enon.