Oh, I Think So

Hail and farewell, 2019!  You have brought weirdness to the nation and to the world and it hasn't left.  You carried weirdness into my workplace and it did not leave -- there are more managers than workers and they don't see why this is a problem and that is all I am saying on the matter.  There were, however, some very good TV shows like "His Dark Materials," and "Watchmen."  The former has two more books to cover from the trilogy and the latter may be a one-off, the producer saying in an interview that he could not imagine where it would go from how it ended.  That makes two of us but if the producer is actually scribbling something out somewhere, I'm good with it.  If it never does happen, I'm good with it. I had blue hair!  For three months!  Cobalt blue hair that quickly went turquoise -- which clashed with a lot of my clothing -- and then part of it turned green but only a part.   I loved blue hair and if I could drink something ...

I went to the library this afternoon and on the way stopped at two stores that give me a birthday present every year during the month of my birthday.  One was a full-size mascara!  The other was samples of eye stuff and an apology, "I am sorry, but since it's later in the month, this is all we have left."  I assured her that was fine and thanked her and went on my way. The sidewalks were crammed and jammed.  It was about 55º so people were out in full force and brought their kids, too.  Looking at them I realized that they're from the suburbs where all the same stores exist in suburban shopping malls.  The Banana Republic is no different from the one at Old Orchard and the Tiffany Store is just like the one at Oakbrook -- different layout, same merch.  The Macy's on State Street is bigger and so has more square footage for crap and has Xmas-themed windows but just from glancing at them a couple of weeks ago as I strolled by, I didn't think they were ...

On the 19th.  Happy birthday to me.

And now you know. All the stuff that is terrible for you diet can be found here in Chicago's Bridgeport neighborhood

I have been thinking of having a second blog that was will be pictures of different, cool t-shirts and sweatshirts worn by different people anywhere I happen to see them and, most important of all, are comfortable having me take a picture of their shirt while it is being worn.  Or else I will sneak the shot when they're not looking. It will be called, "An Old Lady Photographed Your Shirt.' I will not take the names of wearer.  I will not photograph the face of the wearer even though I love taking pictures of faces.  I will post a picture on the Sunday following the day I took it. But not today, not now. Because it's winter in the effing Upper Midwest and only the weirdest and youngest of the weird will be dumb enough to bounce around without a coat.  Maybe in May.  "An Old Lady Photographed Your Shirt." Don't hold your breath but keep it mind.

This is what 31 looks like when you're a top pro hockey player Patrick Kane came to the Blackhawks to play professional hockey when he was 18 years old.  He's now 31, still looking good, still playing great.  To me he still looks like a kid because to me, he is a kid.  He's weathered some very weird stuff -- the Buffalo cab driver true story and the fake story of the woman (and her mom!) who were trying to frame him for sexual abuse -- and here he, still one of the top players in the NHL.   Whether he was having fun -- three Stanley Cups victories! -- or not -- Stanley Cups not won and that broken collarbone -- time flew. Time flies for me and you and I think, on the whole, he's done better than me.

There is an enormous Andy Warhol retrospective going on in downtown Chicago and my sister and brother-in-law invited me to join them as their guest.  I totally enjoyed it and thanked them profusely, remembering a young man in Tokyo at the subway station near the baseball game I attended.  He thanked his friend, shaking the other man's hand and saying thank you over and over and over again.  He was delighted, as was I, so I thanked them in English told them this story, and then thanked them in Japanese. Whenever there is a major anything in Chicago, I have opportunities to do one of my favorite photographic things, also the title of this post.  I have a guest photographer today -- my own sister, Marion Nowak, who totally nailed the taking pictures of people taking pictures, of themselves edition. Courtesy of Marion Nowak "I am like Marilyn Monroe!  Take picture, take picture!" Hands of Marion Nowak taking a picture of "American Gothic" ...