went to see Exit Through the Gift Shop tonight with Beka. it’s fantastic.
SAY HELLO TO MR. BRAINWASH 04.30.2010
PRESS SELECT TO SKIP JOURNEY 04.29.2010
so i finally completed all the missions for Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars recently. it was quite a hollow victory, partly because games are ultimately a waste of time but mostly because there are a billion random and annoying things you have to do to reach 100% completion (beating all the missions only gets you so far). so do i waste even more of my time trying to achieve an even hollower victory or should i cut my losses, put the game down and get on with my life?
did i mention that my extensive drug dealing has netted me 12.1 million dollars?
STILL ONCE EVERY FOUR DAYS 04.28.2010
i went in for another doctor’s appointment today at The University. i’ve probably been there over one hundred times by now and most of the staff there know me. it’s a lot like going to a local joint where you shoot the breeze with the bartender and know all the waitresses by name.
unfortunately for me, it’s not a friendly neighborhood hangout; it’s an oncology clinic. and while these people who are so instrumental to my survival have become very dear to me, i still wish i hadn’t had the opportunity to meet them.
PARTITIONS UNTIL JUST BEFORE THE NOZZLE 04.27.2010
for years, i’ve edited images almost exclusively with the touchpad on my ancient laptop but i’m proud to say that i’ve now become somewhat proficient with a graphics tablet which is a bit like how many people in developing nations jumped to mobile phones from having no phone at all.
i had borrowed a tablet from Beka for a few months back in 2006 but never used it much because i felt awkward moving a pen around without actually pressing down on the “writing” surface. well, i must have lost that feeling sometime since then because i’ve got the hang of it now and i must say that pen movements make a few Photoshop tools here and there much easier to control.
i still use the touchpad for everything else, though, which concludes today’s boring post. make sure to tune in tomorrow for my struggles with multicolored toothpaste.
IT’S GOT BITS IN IT 04.26.2010
i thought i beat jetlag already but apparently i haven’t.
CAN YOU GET MY HARD DRIVE? 04.25.2010
here’s the view from the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building (for now):
CONDOR LEGION 04.24.2010
i took Beka to the Museum of Science and Industry today, marking my first proper visit in about 10 years and her first time ever despite having grown up in Chicago. for those of you interested in a bit of history, the museum is housed in the last remaining building (Palace of Fine Arts) from the 1893 World’s Fair which, against the backdrop of the Chicago Fire, succeeded in putting Chicago on the map and cementing this magnificent city’s status as a symbol of progress.
in addition to its historical setting, the Museum of Science and Industry also houses incredible feats of engineering such as U-505, a German submarine captured by Allied forces in 1944, the first diesel-powered streamliner passenger train Pioneer Zephyr, a retired United Airlines Boeing 727, one of only two surviving Stuka dive bombers from World War II, the command module from Apollo 8 and a Supermarine Spitfire that fought in the Battle of Britain.
if you’ve never been to the museum, you should do so. it may not be the most exciting cultural attraction in Chicago but it’s worth visiting at least once.
besides, who doesn’t love the Spitfire?
CRATE DIGGIN 04.23.2010
i just began listening to Gabriel Prokofiev’s (grandson of Sergei Prokofiev) Concerto for Turntables and Orchestra featuring DJ Yoda which i read briefly about in the Etihad Airways in-flight magazine during a nonstop to Abu Dhabi.
having thoroughly shamed myself by admitting to reading an in-flight magazine, i can now tell you that, like most “experimental” music, i think Prokofiev’s concerto is just okay. the concept of mixing classical music and hip hop sounds absolutely fantastic in theory but it’s painfully easy for the execution to go horribly wrong.
like an enthusiastic pug, the concerto is fun, quirky and has its moments but i think it ultimately fails to win my heart because part of me simply can’t stand being around it. that said, perhaps i need to give it time. perhaps i need to let it grow on me a bit.
you know, like a pug-shaped tumor.
TO CUT YOU WITH 04.22.2010
does anyone know of a brand of feta cheese readily available in the U.S. that’s extra sharp and not too expensive? it sounds like a strange question for me to ask, i know, but i’ve recently delved into the dark, abyssal world of Greek salads and i need your help.
A PROFOUND LACK OF CHILDREN 04.21.2010
finally back in Chicago. i’m going to sleep for a while now.