diary
3 jan 2010
written around noon
my room, mom & pop’s, land of beautiful trees, illinois, yu-sa
Laying on my bed now listening to Chicago’s B96. Growing up I rarely listened to the station. It was around, but I spent more of my time at 101.9 the mix (alternative/sappy rock, e.g. early Jason Mraz) in high school, at 93 XRT (rock) and the Drive (classic rock) during college and on the college stations (Northwestern 89.3 and Loyola 88.7) after I graduated. Since returning from China I’ve dabbled in all of the above, but spent most of the time tuned to the mid-90′s.
B96 plays only top-40 corporate pop songs, and they have a rotation of maybe 15 – 20 they play throughout the entire day. These facts lead many intelligent people to hate the station for its repetitive playlist and mindless songs that have “killed” other forms of radio. Additionally there’s something “in” amongst smart people my age (less so than it was during our college years) about being anti-corporation, as if they are these mindless entities bent on destruction and only self- interest best exemplified with the 2008 fall.
Those ideas aside, I like the station because the songs are fun, they deliver immediately a bumping beat, and I can count on something worthwhile being played every time I turn the dial. To go further may not be appropriate here, but’d be more fitting in an essay as Rebecca Blood suggested can happen to webloggers ” “
Continuing on the music note, Jason, a friend of mine from high-school, recently started a tumblog titled “A Failed Entertainment“. Following a pair of DFW quotes, he gave his top-10 list of 2010 albums, which is helpful for a man so musically out-of-touch he’s discovering an affection for music popular with teenage girls at age 25.
I stayed with Jason for a week when I was in New Yawk, and last week when he was in the Chi. We heard live music at Kingston Mines and Green Mill, sipped free drinks at The Shrine, watched da Bulls and played Super Smash Brothers.
Carlos Sitting on a Clear Plastic Chair, H.Craig HANNA, Oil on Board, 229 x 229 cm
Friday morning family and I flew South for the inaugural Ticket City bowl, pitting Northwestern against Texas Tech. That night we ate a superb family dinner at Bob’s (most intriguing part were pickled cucumbers & red peppers waiting on the table) Jeffrey and I ventured out into the Dallas evening, to find what was waiting for us. Prepped with shots at a biker bar, then patronized “One World” formerly know as purgatory, with 3 dance floors. Dallas women were like a pitcher with a 100 mph fastball (naturally talented) but without control (not yet refined in attire/je ne sais quot).
Game the following afternoon was a blast. Missing their best player, ‘Cats let Tech get ahead, but did not give up and somehow battled back so with less than a minute left they had the ball, and a chance to tie the game. It didn’t come to pass,but they played with honor and can head into next season with their heads held high.
Washed down the game with home-infused spirits at Smoke, a sophisticated Dallas BBQ joint, including bourbon and tequila, which (following a caddy’s advice) I used as a digestif to help settle down my big meal. To Jeffrey’s chagrin I took a couple hour nap afterwards, then we went to Greenville (Dallas bar area rec’d by the concierge) which was better than Deep Elum (area we started at the night b4) and finished at Zouk a classy club we should’ve gone to the night before.
Flew home Sunday morning then got back to Chi-life with eggrolls & drinks at Kow Kow, then our Sunday pizza ritual at Burt’s.
images: “Red Gift” by, jeffdoute, 2010 on The Open Clip Art Library, public domain. “Carlos Sitting on a Clear Plastic Chair” by, H.Craig Hanna, 2001, on the Wikimedia Commons, Free Art License.
