No Sleep Til Boston

2011-10-06T12:10:00.000-05:00

2011-09-30T10:05:00.001-05:00

2011-04-05T20:45:00.001-05:00

Here's your update Hud

2010-04-14T14:30:00.002-05:00

The hay is in the barn as I like to say. I ran 21 miles yesterday, which is 5 miles longer than is healthy and three miles farther than I intended. But it was nice out, I felt good and I really wanted one last long run to boost my confidence.

Now I'm going to sit on the couch for week and hope for the best. I'm hoping for a couple minutes either way of three hours, but I'm going to be patient for the first half if it kills me.

The weather looks good, and a reward of a post-race trip to NYC awaits. HUZZAH!

PS Oh I had a diconcertingly shitty Shamrock Shuffle. 31.42 for 8K. Didn't feel good for a couple weeks after that. Gross.

2010-02-15T10:20:00.002-06:00

I had this dream that I was sneaking into Tiger Stadium with the old sports editor of the Grand Rapids Press, old Channel 8 sports anchor Warren Reynolds and Thomas Hayden Church.

We were getting walking out what would have been the Michigan and Trumbull exit when I saw a cop waiting on Michigan and writing tickets for people as they left the building. I couldn't afford a ticket so I bolted out an exit in center field that emptied out into this nice-looking but somewhat unkempt subdivision of starter homes.

Then I was in one of the houses, in an upstairs bedroom where two old ladies were trying to convince an old silent film star to die. Her head was partly covered in plaster, and there was no skull covering the part that was exposed. Over her head was a sepia-toned photographed of the actress from her glory days. I was reading a book about Sunset Boulevard before I went to bed.

Then I dreamed Emily was trying to shoot me in the kneecap because I hadn't experienced enough pain in the course of my dating life. She grinned in a kidding fashion right before the real Emily woke me up because I was trying to fight her off in my sleep.

79 days to go: 12.6 miles at 7:16 pace

2010-02-03T19:56:00.000-06:00

This run is interesting only because I was a little perplexed about why the pace of my easy runs has slowed. Usually I run 7.1X without thinking too much about it. But since I've been paying attention my natural pace has been much slower. It kind of made me wonder if I'm getting old, but I always wonder that.

More likely I'm just taking a while to get used to the bumps in mileage.

Next week I think 'm going to start adding how many calories I burn on my runs. Isn't that exciting?

Day: 12.6
Week: 28.49
Month: 28.49
Year: I don't know

79 days to go: 10.5 miles at 7:39 pace

2010-01-31T20:27:00.000-06:00

The second half of the week featured my first two-a-day (4.3 in the morning, 10.1 in the p.m. Friday) a trip to Detroit and my first 60-mile week since whenever. Took Monday off.

This week I'm going to aim for 70 miles, with a 20-mile long run. Next week I'm funna dial back to 60 and finally add in a track workout.

Day: 10.5
Week: 60.4
Month: nunyo business.
Year: I don't know

83 days to go: 14 miles at oh my god pace

2010-01-27T22:57:00.000-06:00

That foul bitch winter is back. 14 miles in bone chilling cold and wind and snow. It was maybe 7:15 effort but not in actuality, since the footing was so bad. It makes me happy to get medium long runs in though. Confident.

Day: 14.1
Week: 21.1 (Monday off)
Month: nunyo business.
Year: I don't know

85 days to go: Nice week, relatively

2010-01-24T21:39:00.002-06:00

I did a nice long run on Friday. 18 miles at about 7:10 pace, most of it on the lake path but even when I was in the city I didn't hit many lights. The rest of it was mostly low-to middle distance garbage. Doing some 1200s at the track tomorrow and an MP run at the end. With one medium long run somewhere in there.

This week: 57 and change. Boom.
This year: Don't ask, yet.

88 days to go: Here's where we're at

2010-01-21T10:33:00.003-06:00

Well we're inside of three months til Boston and things aren't all bad. In December I came down with my first ever case of strep throat and that set me back BUT GOOD. Running was a huge chore for a couple weeks. But I've been going well since around the New Year and am looking forward to some race-specific training, starting with tomorrow's long run.

My mileage totals are too embarrassing to post right now, but when they get more respectable, I'll post them with impunity.

Also, as a mini-incentive deal-io I registered for my first ever Shamrock Shuffle 8k on March 21. It will be my first race at that distance since college. Since I'll be in the middle of my peak mileage phase (hopefully) at that point I don't expect a peak performance. But it will be fun and fast and I should be fit enough to run respectably. That is all for now.

130 days to go: It's effing cold

2009-12-10T12:02:00.000-06:00

I ran 50 miles last week and was hoping to approach 60 this week but awful weather has scuppered that plan. Patience. Patience and new shoes.

148 days to go: 13.5 miles @ 7:10 pace

2009-11-24T11:42:00.001-06:00

It rained like hell, but was sort of fun. Chafing though.

Here's a nice little piece on the Mebster.

Day: 13.5
Week: 19.6
Month: tbd
Year: I don't know

154 days to go: 11.5 miles @ 7:10 pace

2009-11-18T10:19:00.000-06:00

Got a little bit of a shin splint, but had a good run.

Day: 11.5
Week: 17.75
Month: tbd
Year: I don't know

160 days to go: 6.1 miles @ 7:04 pace

2009-11-11T18:30:00.004-06:00

Lame run. In other news, it's officially on. I'm coming for you Boston. Also I like the song below:

Day: 6.1
Week: 12.35
Month: 56.34
Year: I don't know

161 days to go: Nothing

2009-11-11T15:35:00.000-06:00

My knee has been disturbingly sore, since about 2/3 through the Grand Rapids Marathon. It hasn't been getting worse but certainly hasn't improved so I took the day off. Here's some pictures of me I stole from Action Sports Photography that I'm too lazy to crop. Aren't I hot?

162 days to go: 6.25 miles, no time

2009-11-10T15:34:00.001-06:00

My knee is bugging me.

Day: 6.25
Week: 6.25
Month: 50.24
Year: I don't know

163 days to go: 6.1 miles @ 6:52 pace

2009-11-08T16:10:00.000-06:00

Felt good.

Day: 6.1
Week: 44.99
Month: 44.99
Year: I don't know

164 days to go: 6.1 miles, untimes

2009-11-07T16:02:00.003-06:00

Whiskey makes you not feel good when you run the next day.

Day: 6.1
Week: 32.79
Month: 32.79Year: I don't know

165 days to go: 6.25 miles @ 6:59 pace

2009-11-06T23:16:00.002-06:00

Scurrying before Jer arrived to record.

Day: 6.25
Week: 32.79
Month: 32.79
Year: I don't know

166 days to go: 5 miles @ 7:09 pace

2009-11-05T10:57:00.001-06:00

Just trying to get something done before a free meal.

Day: 5
Week: 26.69
Month: 26.69
Year: I don't know

167 days to go: 6.23 @ 6:54 pace

2009-11-04T12:58:00.004-06:00

Here is an awesome article about Meb Keflezghi. Here's another one about elite Americans in general. It's good too, sans the parts about Ryan "I've told you enough about big-timing people, so go sit in the" Hall.

Day: 6.23
Week: 21.69
Month: 21.69
Year: I don't know

168 days to go: 5.05 @ 6:52 pace

2009-11-03T20:04:00.002-06:00

A quick one before Steve helped me move.

Day: 5.05
Week: 15.46
Month: 15.46
Year: I don't know

169 days to go: 10.41 @ 7:06 pace

2009-11-02T14:52:00.001-06:00

after a little more piddling around, serious I will become. From work to UIC to eat Italian beef sandwiches with Emily.

Day: 10.41
Week: 10.41
Month: 10.41
Year: I don't know

179 days to go: Nada

2009-10-22T12:13:00.001-05:00

Weather sucks. So does my attitude.

Day: 0
Week: 8.58
Month: I don't know
Year: I don't know

180 days to go: Easy easy easy

2009-10-21T11:03:00.000-05:00

P.S. Hey Butt, I've been posting on another blog nobody reads too :-)

Day: 4.29
Week: 8.58
Month: I don't know
Year: I don't know

181 days to go - 4.25 easy

2009-10-20T11:03:00.002-05:00

I ran home from work yesterday after taking Monday completely off. My left knee was a little sore, but other than that I experienced normal soreness only.

Day: 4.29
Week: 4.29
Month: I don't know
Year: I don't know

news, lost log, chasing the ghost of Machniak

2009-10-19T14:13:00.003-05:00

I started this blog to chronicle my training exploits leading up to the 2005 Boston Marathon. That race was a disaster and I haven't run a remotely good marathon in my couple of attempts since.

I kind of kept in shape over the Summer so I thought I would run the Detroit Marathon to try to get a qualifier. Whelp, it turns out you need a passport to run that race so instead I ran one in Grand Rapids on the same day.

The goal was to run under 3:15 as comfortably as possible. As it turned out I ran 3:01 and it was fairly uncomfortable. Albeit fun.

It was a cold day, I woke up late and probably drank too much the night before.

However I was able to run 7:0x miles for the entire first half of the race without too much trouble. I passed 13 miles in 1:31.40 (no half splits, even with a $110 entry fee) and was starting to feel it. But my splits started dipping under 7 on a long downhill so I focused on staying relaxed without easing up.

There was an aid station at Mile 17 and to avoid a tangle of runners I sped up to pass them. And didn't slow down. Usually I avoid hammering until at least the 18th mile - especially when I'm not in tip-top shape - to make sure I don't explode.

But soon after mile 17, this big huge 3-mile hill began. And I was so angry about it and anxious to get it over with that I didn't let up. And worried that if I did let up I'd lose it. So on I ran; For a while I thought maybe breaking 3 hours was possible. But I started my push a little too late. But it was worth it to not blow up.

Today I'm a little worse for the wear. The only unnatural pain is a little irritation in my left knee. I'll take today and maybe tomorrow off and then try to ease back into it.

The goal, as ever is to break 2:50. I'm older now but I don't think that's at all beyond me. I'm healthy and still have some foot speed.

The second goal is to put the Boston Marathon in my back pocket, where it belongs. I've learned a bit about how things work so we'll see how it goes.

I'm tired of typing.

2008-10-26T17:02:00.001-05:00

celeb sighting of sorts

2008-09-28T21:04:00.001-05:00

I was running South on the lake path this evening, about halfway through a 14-miler when the episode in question occured.

As anybody reading this probably knows, I had a terrible summer runningwise. But this particular run was really enjoyable for change. I was humming along at maybe 6.50 pace when, just south of Addison I suddenly heard a pair of very light feet scrunching the gravel behind me.

I looked over my left shoulder in time to see a lanky, blond-haired lad with no shoulders to speak of glide by me. I figure he was running at about 5.10 pace.

Now, when I'm in shape I can run that fast for a little while. But I assume I look kind of ridiculous doing it. Whereas this kid was positively floating; clearly he was a pro.

'Evening,' I said.

'Hey,' he replied.

Then! A flash of recognition.

'Hey are you Ryan Hall?'

'Nope,' he was lying and I knew it.

I pondered his response for a beat and shouted after him, 'Buuuuulshit.'

Then I laughed, 'Lying: That's not too Godlike HALL.'

But he had disappeared into the night. I picked it up a little bit.

An announcement

2008-08-26T22:54:00.001-05:00

Robert Altman's corpse and I were wed in a small ceremony at the non-denominational chapel in Midway airport yesterday.

Sarah Duprey officiated, Marty Shea witnessed.

The reception was held at Pizza Hut express. The main course was personal pan pizzas and bread sticks.

Mr. Altman was served for dessert.

Notes on a party, ca. 2002

2008-07-01T14:57:00.000-05:00

Names have been changed to protect the innocent:

"Here's the story: I was standing with Jeremy and then Martha came over and she was wearing an Incredible Hulk shirt. I said Hi to her and us 3 we're just talking and then Jeremy said "Are you going to rip off your shirt just like the Incredible Hulk?" and she didn't think it was funny, then I dumped my beer all over her shirt and then she dumped beer all over my shirt and then we mud wrestled. That's the story."

setback

2008-06-17T22:06:00.003-05:00

I've been on the bench almost the entire week on account of shin splints, or what I assume are shin splints. It was hard to go up or down stairs for a while, and I still can't generate any 'push off' from the calves.

I think those horse shit 858's are at fault. No cushion, no support.

I'm going to try jogging tomorrow after almost a week off. It sucks, but as long as this problem is cleared up I'll hopefully be none the worse.

New band CRUSHES

2008-05-30T13:25:00.001-05:00

Good. Like, oh my God, good.

Running update

2008-05-30T12:53:00.002-05:00

Not much new to report, really. I've continued to average 65-ish miles a week since the Fifth-Third. I'd like to be cracking the 70-mile barrier by now. But travel plans, the onset of nice weather and Spring playoffs have made that tricky.

I'll start marathon-specific training in about 2 weeks, and depending on how things go I'll pick out a 5K to gear for in late June or early July.

I would like to break 17:00 for the 5K but my fast-twitch fibers have probably been dormant too long to achieve that. 17:3x is probably a more realistic goal at this stage of the season.
*
I've been a devotee of New Balance's 850 series for a couple of years now. But the new 858 is a disaster. It's as lightweight as it's predecessors, but has no stability whatsoever. It feels like running with a waterbed strapped to each foot.

I have tried wearing the 858s as a casual shoe, but it was so broken down and shitty that I started getting shin splints. And this was after only about 250 miles.

I have switched to the 768, which is much better but still not great.

new strategy

2008-05-11T21:57:00.002-05:00

So my new strategy for running a good marathon in the fall is to do a bit more racing during my training. In the past I haven't raced very much because the cost/benefit ratio never seemed high enough i.e. a Sunday morning race = one
Saturday night where I can't drink.

But yeah, I kind of really want to bust 2:50 in the marahon so...

I don't have a problem getting out the door to go running, but if I go a long time between events my training tends to lose focus. Conversely, I hate getting to the start line of a race feeling unprepared.

So if the time between my races is shorter, I'll have an easier time staying motivated to do quality running.

Ha ha so I've commited to shifting more of my drinking to weekdays so I can be in shape to do some running on weekends. And hopefully nab the ever-elusive 2:50 marathon in the Fall.
*
My first race of this new era was the 25K (15.5 mile) Fifth-Third Bank River Run.

I've done six consecutive weeks of solid base-training; four weeks in the 60s and then one week in the 70s. Two 14-mie runs and one 17-mile run, virtually all of the mileage in the 6:50-7:20 range.

I took it easy two days before the race, but didn't taper per se.
*
The race went great. My time was 1:39.06. Average mile time was 6:22. First half 49:30, second half 49:35.

A great race, considering. My legs felt like shit the whole time; sore quads and calves, I think it might be my new New Balance 768s.

It's a little sobering to think I want to average 6:22s for an entire marathon, but this run off of base mileage is encouraging. I didn't have any damn leg speed, but I probably could have held race pace for another 10 minutes or so.

I gots 6 months from today to build on that.

Returned 1 Results Name City State Zip Country
SCHMIDT, CRAIG CHICAGO IL 60647 USA
Overall Bib Final Time Chiptime Class Age Gender
105 6115 1:39:25 1:39:07 M 30-34 33 M

class_pos gen_place 1st_half_rank 1st_half_time 2nd_half_rank 2nd_half_time ag_pct ag_place
15 91 127 49:30 92 49:35 72.2% 202

my new band crush

2008-04-13T22:14:00.002-05:00

Bands on labels as big as Merge don't usually slip beneath my radar, but this one did. I was hooked within hearing the first 2 seconds of this burn, provided by my friend John.

Psychedelic pop, with sweet guitar tones and guys that sound like girls but in a great way.

Well hey we woke up on the right side of the turf again today!

2008-04-01T22:15:00.001-05:00

2008-01-25T00:43:00.000-06:00

. . . and I really really miss Paul Carey too. Gosh do I ever.

2008-01-25T00:39:00.001-06:00

2007-06-27T09:22:00.001-05:00

I was a little drunk last night.

Fuck you; ask my old girlfriend: I was so far ahead of the curve on this one

2007-06-26T23:29:00.000-05:00

I should sue to have my band cover 'Tuppins a Bag.' Bullshit.

good runs, bad UPS

2007-06-19T13:40:00.000-05:00

I took a trip out to Rockford, IL to visit and train with my high school team mate Peter. It's rural and hilly in that area so we were able to get gobs of good miles in once Pete stopped whining.
*
Most of the runs were too fast - most under 7:00, some way under - and our long run sputtered to an early end. But overall we got a lot done and last week was the first time I've been over 70 miles since B****n training. The plan is to stay over 70 per week for 3 more months. Ugh.
*
I got to fly in a single engine Cessna on Sunday. I made a joke over the radio that I've been wanting to do forever and it went over good with the other pilots in our airspace. I'd tell you the joke but you kind of have to be in the air to appreciate it.
*
I also helped Pete with some moderate-to heavy-duty landscaping. Where I come from, people think of landscaping as an odd-to borderline-ridiculous way to spend a weekend. But it doesn't lose its novelty if you only do it once every two years, so I kind of had fun with it actually. This once.
*
I ordered a CD from Amazon last week. Can somebody explain what UPS was thinking here:

NORTHBROOK, IL, US	06/19/2007	7:39 A.M.	OUT FOR DELIVERY
	06/19/2007	5:58 A.M.	ARRIVAL SCAN
CHICAGO, IL, US	06/19/2007	5:17 A.M.	DEPARTURE SCAN
	06/19/2007	12:38 A.M.	ARRIVAL SCAN
HODGKINS, IN, US	06/18/2007	11:57 P.M.	DEPARTURE SCAN
	06/18/2007	7:40 P.M.	ARRIVAL SCAN
LOUISVILLE, KY, US	06/18/2007	3:34 P.M.	DEPARTURE SCAN
	06/18/2007	11:42 A.M.	ARRIVAL SCAN
PORTLAND, OR, US	06/18/2007	5:04 A.M.	DEPARTURE SCAN
PORTLAND, OR, US	06/17/2007	12:32 A.M.	ARRIVAL SCAN
ROCKFORD, IL, US	06/16/2007	10:48 P.M.	DEPARTURE SCAN
	06/16/2007	11:39 A.M.	ARRIVAL SCAN
OAKLAND, CA, US	06/16/2007	6:00 A.M.	DEPARTURE SCAN
	06/16/2007	1:49 A.M.	ARRIVAL SCAN
SPARKS, NV, US	06/15/2007	10:15 P.M.	DEPARTURE SCAN
	06/15/2007	9:03 P.M.	ORIGIN SCAN
US	06/16/2007	3:22 A.M.	BILLING INFORMATION RECEIVED

2007-06-11T13:39:00.001-05:00

Last week I did lots of running in Red Rock Canyon Park, Las Vegas, NV. Altitude, hills kill. Scenerey redeems.
*
Oceans 13. Breezy or black hole? I vote the latter.

June 1 - medium long

2007-06-01T19:03:00.000-05:00

200 percent humidity. Rent this movie.
41.4 for the week
12 for the month

May 28 - putting off long

2007-05-28T12:25:00.000-05:00

6.3 + strides. I quit wearing a watch because I can't help racing myself.
6.3 for the week
210.7 for the month

May 27 - Easy

2007-05-27T12:16:00.000-05:00

11.3. Fuckin Pistons.
60.5 for the week
204.4 for the month

May 26 - Easy

2007-05-26T12:08:00.000-05:00

Boring.
49.2 for the week
193.1 for the month

2007-05-25T17:18:00.000-05:00

May 25 - easy
10.3 miles @ 7:06 pace. Started out easy then got a little out of hand.
42.2 for the week
186.1 for the month

2007-05-25T12:48:00.001-05:00

5/7: 14 @ 1:42.40
5/8: 6 easy + strides
5/9: 0
5/10: 10.3 @ 1:14.00
5/11: 6.3 @ 43.51
5/12: 5.2 no time
5/13: 0 :(
5/14: 11.5 shit-ty
5/15: 6.3 no time
5/16: 10.3 no time + strides
5/17: 10.3 @ 1:13.57
5/18: 12 no time
5/19: 6.1 @ 45.00
5/20: 0
5/21: 10.3
5/22: a.m. 5
p.m. 6.3 + strides
5/23: 10.3 + strides
5/24: 0

157 through 154

2007-05-07T14:28:00.000-05:00

Thursday May 3 - Off
As planned.

Friday May 4 - Medium long.
Day: 12.5
Week: 38.9
Month: 32.8

Saturday May 5 - Easy
Day: 6.25
Week: 45.15
Week: 39.05

Sunday May 6 - Easy
Meant to go long but got back from Grand Rapids too late.
Day: 6
Week: 51.15
Month: 45.05

158 days to go

2007-05-02T18:38:00.000-05:00

a.m. - 5 easy
p.m. - 5 easy

Along the lake path. For some reason there has been a really stiff wind blowing in from the north, so at least half of every run has sucked for a week or so. Multiply that by two when running in the morning.

Month: 26.4
Week: 20.3

2007-05-01T14:35:00.000-05:00

I'm going to start posting my training on here again because I don't want to piss away my Chicago Marathon registration fee for a second consecutive year. And if I know somebody is reading this than I will feel guilty if I have to confess to not running for any stretch of time.

I have had a relatively good 7 or 8 weeks with a couple notable exceptions:

- at the end of March I went to Kansas City for a few days. It's actually extremely hilly there and I didn't exactly ease into them. When I came back to Chicago my lower back was all knotted up and I had to miss 3 consecutive days before the problem was all cleared up.

- I missed 4 out of 5 days at the end of April when we were in New York City. This eventuality was not all my fault because my running gear got left in Chicago b/c of circumstances partially beyond my control. There was also that thing about how I was drinking every waking second, but still.

Beyond that though, it's been pretty good. Most of my weeks have been high-40s to low-50s with a long of 15 and several 14s. That's a little lower than maybe I'd like but there's plenty of time to ramp it up some.

For mile-counting purposes my week starts on Monday. The program I follow is a slightly modified version of the one detailed in this book. It worked very well for me @ Chicago 20-aught-4 once I got comfortable with it. One of the bigger mistakes I made prepping for Boston was using another training program just because I dropped a sawbuck on the book extolling it.

The last several days:
4/27: 10.3
4/28: 10.3
4/29: 14
Monday: 6.1 - sore
Tuesday: 10.3 - awesome

Oh yeah, I now obsessively plot my runs using this (awesome) site, so you will notice the distances I list are accurate to the point of analness. Deal.

heh

2007-04-27T15:15:00.000-05:00

I hope you're happy now, Jer. For future reference my life is sleeping, listening to music, watching sports and drinking until further notice. Also my life is this:

2007-03-02T12:29:00.000-06:00

This is where I go to eat when I'm annoyed. It's the best diner ever. And soothing.

Let the games begin

2007-02-14T10:10:00.000-06:00

No Sleep is pleased to announce its endorsement for the 2008 Presidential election.

the story so far

2007-02-09T13:21:00.000-06:00

the new album is going okay. I have five songs so far:

Bizarre Astronaut Love Trio
Steakhouse Disco
You Should be Living in Space by Now
Shades of Abreu
I'm Going to Have One of Those Summers

I'll probably do something about Anna Nicole Smith too, to the tune of Candle in the Wind.

thank god

2007-02-02T11:29:00.000-06:00

Only 1 more day of Super Bowl hype.
Then the Cubs hype begins. Ugh.
I am recording an album in a month, starting yesterday. I wrote a country song. Not really broadening my horizons there, eh? It's early yet.

Guest Blogger: Gilbert Arenas

2007-01-27T11:24:00.000-06:00

Coach D'Antoni Heard About my Plans for Portland

(Phoenix Suns Head Coach Mike) D'Antoni said that after I scored 54 on them and made my prediction to score 50 on the Blazers that he'd like to see what I'm going to do against Duke.

I thought it was funny because if I have the chance to go back to college, I’ll give up one NBA season to play against Duke.

One college game…that’s five fouls, right?...40-minute game…at Duke, they got soft rims…I’d probably score 84 or 85.

I wouldn’t pass the ball.

I wouldn’t even think about passing it.

It would be like a NBA Live or an NBA 2K7 game, you just shoot with one person.

Here's what Border's recommends for me

2007-01-18T13:31:00.000-06:00

I've sorted them in order of plausibility:

Cheers season 2 - ok
Hill Street Blues season 1&2
M*A*S*H season 7
Three's Company season 5
Moonlighting season 3
Wings season 1&2
Everybody Loves Raymond season 1

Some of my favorite stuff from 2006

2007-01-11T12:47:00.000-06:00

some of my favorite stuff of 2006, part 1
Black Lips live @ Empty Bottle, Saint Patrick's Day & Logan Square Auditorium, 9/15
Their early stuff is extremely scuzzy garage-anthem fare, but 2005's 'Let it Bloom' is full of suspiciously crafty songwriting.
Their live show was pumping enough to make the Bottle's uber-hipsters crowd surf.
West Coast people catch them end of January. Absolute must-see material.

some of my favorite stuff from 2006 part 2
The M's - Future Women (Polyvinyl)

Chicagoans will roll their eyes at the rather obvious pick, but class is class.

Usually I steer clear of anything labeled psych-pop because it means the band in question uses acid guitars and a space echo to cover up songwriting deficiencies.

But 'Future Women' is mature in the best sense of the word; trippy and tightly coiled. Plan of Men, the title track and Trucker Speed are effing catchy but repeated listens prove rewarding.

Reference points = Guided By Voices + Beach Boys divided by Wilco
Plus they have Eric Fensler in their top friends. So yeah.

http://www.myspace.com/thems

some of my favorite stuff from 2006 part 3
Jarvis Cocker - The Jarvis Cocker Record (Rough Trade)

I was really scared 'The Jarvis Cocker Record' was going to be tuneless and lame; part of the reason I am so effusive about it may be a reaction to that.

But there is no denying Jarvs is in fine form here. The songs lack most of the bombast that suffused Pulp's best work; that's been replaced by a quiet swagger. Jarvis is a top-flight humorist, social commentator, craftsman and artist. And he knows it. And he knows you know. . .

He doesn't reinvent himself on this record, but he does sound refreshed. Which leaves me relieved, and thrilled.

Is US distribution (much less a tour) too much to ask?
*
I really don't get why everybody's so damn ga-ga about The Hold Steady's 'Boys and Girls in America.' It's okay I guess. Lots of crunchy riffs but it doesn't really trip my melody meter. . . Lyrically I guess it's supposed to make aging scenesters (like me I spose) nostalgic but yeah. . .

Cococoma live @ the Empty Bottle, back in March I think
Cococoma live @ the Empty Bottle, back in March I think
I went to see the headliner, but can't remember who that was anymore. Cococoma is a punk trio with an organ supplying the low end. They are scalding, yet tuneful. Good people, GREAT SHOW.
I don't do vinyl so I haven't spun their records yet. But I'm sure they're great too.
Oh and I met this awesome/hilarious band from West Lafayette at the show too - The Mans. Dude shook my hand after taking a piss, before washing his hands. You're automatically friends after that.
www.myspace.com/cococoma
www.myspace.com/themansmans

Cococoma w/MOTO January 13th @ the Beat Kitchen. See you there.

2006-12-15T12:41:00.000-06:00

put some code here so it sounds like I am typing.

pause....

F5 runs the code

type some more code.

its also good to do some clicks in the middle to make it sound like you are running aprogram.

pause....

arrow and delete are good,as code syntax is hard to type.

{}remmeber the shift key.

its need for{} and (), which are used a lot.

I'm sad

2006-11-19T17:17:00.000-06:00

The greatest soccer player you've never heard of has died.

2006-11-07T10:38:00.000-06:00

oh hi Jer

They know how to party in Saint Louis. Period.

2006-11-06T00:58:00.000-06:00

I get books

2006-11-02T15:28:00.000-06:00

I am almost finished reading Gerald Clarke’s biography of Truman Capote. It is a celebrated work, and rightly so. Like Capote’s oeuvre, it is airy, expansive and gossipy. By definition, then, it lacks the depth of analysis and psychological complexity of my other favorite literary biography, Richard Ellmann’s ‘James Joyce.’

But Capote’s life was as compelling as any work of fiction, and Clarke captures that with verve and grace. The chapters about ‘In Cold Blood’ and its aftermath are especially captivating. And the sad descent that is the fallout of the books success make it a much more poignant work than either of the recent biopics.

If you have any interest in the man at all, indulge. It’s the biggest quick read tome ever.

only in dreams

2006-10-31T10:46:00.000-06:00

For the past couple weeks I have intermittently been having dreams where I am the last human on earth, fighting for my survival against hordes of zombies.

This kind of sucks because obvs zombies are terrifying and even if I do conquer them I will not have anybody with whom to share my triumph.

But in my dreams I am a Jedi, so I have The Force and a lightsaber at my disposal. That's pretty cool.

Last night it happened that I blew up a CTA train filled with corporeal humanoids using plastic explosives.

here's what's going on at work. an e-mail exchange

2006-10-20T16:17:00.000-05:00

j: wot are you doing?

c: it's nuts. our company is angling to get a big account (they would do tax servicing on a bunch of loans, which basically means paying taxes). . . it's a multi-million dollar account, and we don't currently have the staff or facilities to handle the project.

The bank that holds the loans is sending representatives to check out our office. The boss is going nuts trying to make it look like we have more people, space to expand into and etc. So I have been helping him move some stuff to storage space at the other end of the building.He is going to set up a bunch of extra workstations at the office and when the people tour the office he is going to have a bunch of his friends and family and temps come in and pretend to work. . .

He thinks our server room looks of chintzy, he wanted me to 'hide them somewhere' and tell people they were off site. I had to call Raj to convince him not to do it.

At first I was reeaaallly annoyed at having to do this, but now it is kind of a fun train wreck. I don't think it's going to be as convincing as he thinks it will.

And if we do get the account I suppose it means more money. It never seems to work out that way though.

j: weird.we have a server room here to run our local stuff, email and internet, but all customer accounts are off-site. You could tell them that....

c: that's a great idea actually, since I am assuming we are probably lying about the size of current client base. . . Your explanation works both as a lie and a plan for the future.

The girl who gave me the guitar picks? Big, obnoxious Cardinal fan.

Last year this time, didn't know Detroit had a team.

Urge to kill: Rising.

2006-10-07T23:17:00.000-05:00

I had a dream where I worked on the top floor of a 26-story high rise in down town Los Angeles. Michigan State was playing Duke in the preseason NIT. The game tipped off at 2 p.m. but it was a close game that stretched into overtime, then to a second overtime then to a 3rd. (incoming) MSU fresman Raymar Morgan missed a baseline jumper that would have won the game for the Spartans. Instead a fourth overtime loomed. I elected to take a wiz at the commercial break.

The trick being since the game stretched into quadruple overtime it was now after 5 p.m. Everbody left the building but me, and the building's security system was armed.

((aside: Saturday Night Live SUUUUUUUCKS))

So I was trying to find a way to the washroom without tripping the security system. However the only way to get to the washroom and not trip the alarm was to wile through an area that was under construction.

I tried to wile through the area that was under construction but almst immediately crashed through a sheet of particle board. I gripped desperately but grimly to an I-Beam. I was resigned to dying but somehow there was a cell phone on the I-Beam dialing Mike Hudson's number.

Mike picked up and I told him I was dangling 25 stories above the ground and he should call 911. He said 'OK. . . I'm dialing 911 riiiiiiight now.'

Then it was quiet for a while.

'Mike'

'Mike'

'God damn it Mike! Are you watching the MSU game?!?!? Quit watching the God Damned basketball game for 2 God Damned seconds and dial 911 so my ASS doesn't die!!!! Hello!!!'

I don't know why I didn't dial 911 myself. Probably because I didn't have any free hands.

Quiz: What's reeeeeally weird about this picture?

2006-10-06T10:07:00.000-05:00

2006-09-26T11:09:00.000-05:00

. . . and then there are days when somebody says it for you. . .

2006-09-25T14:20:00.000-05:00

I don't eat hamburgers. Hamburgers from fast food places make me gag, and if I'm at a cookout I generally prefer hot dogs, steak, chicken, brats or a mouthful of dirt.

But every couple years or so, I do get a hankering for a big fat juicy hamburger with onions, mustard, pickles and what have you. Such a hankering befell me last week.

So I decided I had to have a hamburger. The only question was where to get it from. But, really, there's no question is there?

Running on the Lake Path: A lesson in safety and etiquette

2006-09-13T12:27:00.000-05:00

Lesson 1:
If you are running on the lake path and sense me coming up on your shoulder, do not speed up to try to stop me from passing you.

There are several reasons not to do this:

1. We’re not racing
2. It is macho and stupid. I will laugh out loud at you if you do it.
3. It is dangerous. It strands me in the middle of the path (until you inevitably get tired and fall back), exposed to bikers and rollerbladers whizzing by in both directions.
4. Your workout – if that’s what you want to call it – will be compromised by the increase in your work rate; a couple minutes of running too fast will cause you to breach your aerobic threshold. Which, if you study up, you will learn makes your going running in the first place pretty much pointless. Fatty.

If, as I suspect, you are not letting me pass you in a safe and timely manner because you want to impress the cute girl jogging in the opposite direction, know this: She is hip to the fact you’re not Steve Prefontaine.

In fact, she telepathically gave me her phone number just now, and we’re meeting for drinks (not low-carb beer) later to laugh at how stupid and annoying you are.

are you like me? are you too cheap to buy a GPS watch?

2006-08-30T11:33:00.000-05:00

All our problems are solved, my friends.

2006-08-21T15:10:00.000-05:00

I had a dream I was charged with putting on an outdoor charity festival on the order of Lollapalooza. I had a staff of 24 people, and I met them for the first time in the music room of an old Chicago Public School. I cleared away a bunch of the stuff that had been stored in the room over the years and had the staff stand on risers much like a class of elementary students would have done back in the day.

I was slightly discouraged because I had just found out my budget was only $900 and I only had a week until the event was set to go off.

Usually when I am dreaming, and I think I am dreaming I ask myself three questions:

1) Are you dreaming?
2) Are you sure you’re not dreaming?
3) Wait, where did my pants go?

So I was standing in front of 24 young adults arranged like the London Boys’ Choir waiting for me to give them jobs to do at the festival. But I couldn’t get off the phone with some pencil pusher at the Mayor’s office. They started staring at me because I didn’t have any pants on but that didn’t bother me because I knew that would help me keep their attention. If you know what I mean.

Weekend Preview in Pictures

2006-08-04T16:13:00.000-05:00

I'm lazy so just look. Though I will say I'm sorry we couldn't get Pulp on the bill.

oh my god or this;

2006-07-31T13:05:00.000-05:00

gnarls rockets into my top 10 must-see acts at the 'looz

my god why didn't I think of this

2006-07-30T20:15:00.000-05:00

2006-07-25T14:46:00.000-05:00

Wow this blog is more desolate than Tiger Stadium.
Nothing and everything is going on. Recording as ever.
My friends and I write about baseball here.

What's more fun for you to watch: A decent lowbrow comedy, or a comedy that's not as smart as it thinks it is? I'm debating.

I'm not saying he shoulda killed her. . .

2006-07-10T16:35:00.000-05:00

But I don't know how the game isn't shamed by the way teams like Italy play it. Obviously Zidane should have kept his cool but I can't say I wouldn't have reacted the same way to wearing defenders around like a cape all game, and then they act like they've been shot if you even come near them. Have fun in Serie C, beyotches!!
*
This wasn't the worst World Cup Final match I've ever seen (worst 1990 with 1994 a damn close second). In fact it might be the best (but prolly 1986 was better).

But this Italian team is definitely the weakest champion in my 20 years of watching. They didn't do anything to convince me they are better than the US, much less Germany or France. But they did clutch, grab and dive and play fabulously uncreative soccer for a full month. And got rewarded for it. I'm thinking an NHL-style revamp is in order, but good luck getting that green-lit.

Family Reunion

2006-07-06T14:22:00.000-05:00

Don't let anybody ever tell you Kansas City is not a great town. What a fabulous time we had there this holiday weekend. We watched: A band at The Levy, the Kansas City 300 at the Kansas City Speedway, the Twins and the Royals from 3 rows away and gambled at the Argosy til the wee wee hours. All the while guzzling fine local oat sodas and eating the finest meats and cheese.

The only bad thing was it was really hot and hilly. I threw up on one run. No more chips and salsa for breakfast.
*
An Italian Lemonade stand opened up just down the road apiece. It's not Mario's on Taylor Street but it'll do.

the return of John Myers

2006-06-23T16:23:00.000-05:00

John Myers is stateside again. Return to Chicago hopefully is imminent.
Intonation Music Festival this weekend.
Germany v. Sweden.
This blog
trian
gl
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afternoon update

2006-06-12T16:34:00.000-05:00

that Italian Beef sandwich is absolutely destroying my stomach. How does it feel? Remember Alien? Yeah, it feels like that.

on the menu today

2006-06-12T13:47:00.000-05:00

Lunch for me:

Lunch for the Czech Republic. Yeesh:

and we're off

2006-06-09T11:39:00.000-05:00

there is no sobriety in the forecast this weekend. Come on you Germans!

absolutely the stupidest thing I have ever heard of

2006-06-06T15:49:00.000-05:00

unless the drugs used to treat it are good, in which case I'm pretty sure I have this 'disorder.'

2006-06-05T11:55:00.000-05:00

If you ever have wondered what would happen if you washed a Vintage International paperback edition of As I Lay Dying along with a load of colors, e-mail me; I will save you the trouble of doing the research.

Suffice it to say Faulker’s spindly, harrowing prose stands the test of time better than the test of Maytag. Damn it.

2006-05-31T10:42:00.000-05:00

Yesterday Steve Schmidt took the boards, one week after completing his final med school exams. He wakes up this morning (or early afternoon) having completed 21 months of grueling, unrelenting class attendance, homework, examinations and fieldwork. He has a long way to go to become a doctor, but to date this is a fine man's finest hour.
*
I am having trouble putting together this Ikea bed I bought without the instructions.

150 days

2006-05-25T10:13:00.000-05:00

Until the Chicago Marathon, for which I just registered. Oh God.

let's everybody play hard, keep it clean. only one item of jewelry per combatant.

2006-05-19T10:21:00.000-05:00

Crawfish problem: SOLVED

2006-05-16T14:33:00.000-05:00

My dad was talking about going down to New Orleans to get some good shrimp and crawfish in down our throats before it's out of season. That's not going to work, but it would seem somebody's looking out for me:

Here's what is going on this weekend: OH MY GOD

My God this has been around all these years and this is the first I'm hearing about it? Shame on motherfucking me. Attendance at this is mandatory.

2006-05-14T00:53:00.000-05:00

. . . but Cindy Sheehan or whatever is the number one unsexiest with a bullet. Maybe Susan Butcher though, I'll get back to you.

I just saw Wes Anderson doing an American Express commercial. Holy shit.

list

2006-05-01T16:35:00.000-05:00

I accidentally threw the rest of the list away when I was cleaning the other day, but I wanted to make sure to add Catherine Brelliat, Danielle Fishel, Thora Birch and frickin Janice Dickinson to the list. Oh and your mom (she says hi).

I think I am going to die soon on account of my allergies.

. . .

2006-04-21T14:20:00.000-05:00

Barbara Streisand
Cher
KD Lang
Lisa Kudrow
Valerie Harper
Janet Reno
Celine Dion
Roseanne Barr
Miranda July
Whitney Houston

. . .

2006-04-20T10:08:00.000-05:00

Sandra Bernhardt
The Olsen Twins
Tenille
Bea Arthur
Oprah
Nancy Lieberman-Kline
Omarosa
Courtney Love
The Indigo Girls
Stockard Channing

Lucky for Betty Friedan and Susan Sontag that they're dead

2006-04-19T11:38:00.000-05:00

I don’t know, I might be behind the curve in posting this. But I’m going to do it anyways because we had fun thinking this list up.

In the interest of gender equality I am posting my official list of the 100 un-sexiest women in the world. Between my sister and me we came up with well over 100 names but these are the no-brainers. We'll whittle the list down and post the rest later.

The people at the Phoenix might justify their list by saying they are pointing out the hypocrisy of something something blah blah blah. But I want you to notice the number of women on my list who have gone to see a doctor in failed attempts to keep their beauty quotients soaring, in a normative sense. So really I’m just pointing out the triple standard at work here. Think about it. Ahem. . .

Liza Minelli
Julia Roberts
Anne Rice
Starr Jones
Rosie O’Donnell
Donatella Versace
Greta Van Sustern
Tori Spelling
Pat Summit
Katie Couric

Feel free to contribute your own!

THIS IS THE BEST THING EVER

2006-04-15T23:45:00.000-05:00

EVER!!!

PS Re: McCarty

2006-04-13T12:42:00.000-05:00

Don't get me wrong I think the free press was well within it's rights to make McCarty's financial situation public. But that doesn't mean it doesn't suck.

sun

2006-04-12T12:27:00.000-05:00

Sunny and 70 baby. There's a hot girl on the second floor, one leg dangling out the window slugging a beer. Her stereo is blaring. We nod at each other. The nod means FUCK YEAH. Seriously Springtime.
*
This is a damn shame. Not the bankruptcy part, because that shit happens. The fact it's in the paper. That kind of sucks.

to do list

2006-04-06T11:31:00.000-05:00

- laundry
- find stuff to do in October other than watch White Sox playoff games
- have a couple drinks
- look down my nose at Duke
- listen to the new Flaming Lips

I have to go away for awhile

2006-03-27T11:45:00.000-06:00

I'm enlisting for the war with the mystics. I'll be in touch.