19 December, 2009

The Blue Man Fry/ Sunday the 13th

Blue
Big day. Lots going on. North side. One of the teachers @ the school loves taking the kids out for stuff, so he enlisted me to help w. four kids going to see Blue Man group. Never been there mesself, so I was excited - it wasn't just a school on a Sunday for me. Job one for me was to collect one kid and take him to the Briar Theatre and meet the others there - but when I got there, the kid was already gone - a mess up. Quick call, phone delivered to me as I talked to the kids Mom, rectified the slip up - the other teacher had gotten the wrong kid. Met @ the Walgreens @ 63d and Kedzie and off we went.

There is always the balance w. telling the kids too much. Since the kid I was driving is, well, a Marquette Parker, I wanted to show off my neighbourhoods brite spots: once again, this is where we swam/walked/hunted/. So, the water tower on top of the Colony Building where we hunted. The alleys of Kedzie where we walked. And the library on 61st where we swam. And on. I guess this is ok - but what about deeper stuffs? I've been processed - that means my prints were taken - three different times, and in custody- that'd be cuffed and in the back of a squad car - another ten times. It gets out in school - but I do hold back bunches.

Blue Man group was the theatre experience of this day. Again, never been - and I'm glad I got to go. Wish I coulda brought gf - but we go on. How as it? Fantastic - of course. Very playful, very inventive, very good. They had the three dudes and three musicians. I'm not gonna bother blathering on about the different bits involved - but all were entertained. Of course the show has been running for 9 years (w. rad changes to get return action) so I knew the basic premise - but of course allowed myself to be be surprised. Many of the best parts were when the audience was involved - hot as hell girl got invited up on stage - no need to feel guilty for admiring her and her shirt as of course she was on stage, and where else should i look? I loved when the dudes went into the audience and picked out people to go on stage - no, didn't want to go. I wondered if the people were picked out beforehand - dunno. And one of the spots I liked best was when +++++spoiler alert+++++ a couple came in late and the guys stopped the whole show, a siren went off, a spotlite showed on them and cameras followed their progress to the seats on the huge screen behind the stage. Great!!! And there were plenty of things like that. I totally recommend it.

We all loved it. I kept cracking up - and loud - as did the kids we were with. Lovely time. Tix in the winter months clock in @ $100 for two - I'd like to take the kids (as in nieces and nephews), but these days it's hard w. them in college and sports and social circles and all that. Again, we go on .

Went to a neighbourhood Chinese place after the show. Mindful that these kids are behavioural disorder kids, they finally started to slip. Angels before, the dysfunctions started showing. However, since the vibe was good, it was easy enough to cower the misbehaviour into extinction. As fun as the Blue Men were, the foodtime was also fun - great to see the kids in different contexts always.

Sidesteps
I was supposed to drive one of the kids home - but nicely asked the other teacher to do that for me. it was to be a Gallosunday, so i didn't want to go all south only to regresso and further north. So - now having an extra hour and spares to play w. - I decided to go to the Marshalls on Halsted and Clark. Spent tonnes of cash on sports gear and an incredibly kool hat (yes, if i was Paperplates I'd have a snap of it on my head all ready for you). Sports gear? Fire jerseys, Sox pullovers - and, finally, an Equipo America jersey. Nice haul.

More time left, so as planned I walked over to Smoky Treats to say hello. I did the secret buzz - since they live rite on Halsted and sometimes prey to the random stranger pushing them, I've done the "buzzzzzzz-buzz-buzz" quick three step. It was answered. yes, I could have used some mobile fone - but didn't have one then or now. It was good to see Treats, wife Lucilda, and babyTreat. Hadn't seen the child yet - and felt good on my ongoing effort to see people nd reconnect. They have entered the new era - three months into babytime - and I understand that they will never again see the inside of a tavern again w. the crew. So we adapt. funny the new furniture - babyproof stuff. Kid looked great. Had to go too soon.

Fry
Then spun up the Strasser to Evanston. it was Fry time, and I'd gotten the puddings black and white plus the bacon and sausages. The Patiences had the beans and tomatoes, and the Shipleys had smoke butt rolling. (yes, and eggs). Shipley also had baked up Irish soda breads - and yes, Mom loved what i brought back for her to try. The massive amounts of meat - wow. totally am I a carnivore, and it was special time for me. And, again, just getting out was good. The butt was basically done when i got there, and was delicious when served. I was going to fry the fry, but Shipley thankfully took that cup from me. I cut up the black and white, but basically hovered as she fried. Delicious.

And the kids. Funny. Always wanted kids - there were three here (Blurry, Proud, Strida). Delightful, the future of our country and planet. But these days I'm realising that maybe that sorta future is not for me. I can't take care of myself: how the hell could I take care of a helpless one? There is sadness that I won't be able to recreate on some scale my family growing up - there was always that deep desire - but .... we go on.

Since it was an Irish themed nite, talk 'rounded to Bobby Sands, the Hunger Strike, and finally the movie Hunger - about Bobby Sands and his death. Gorgeous show. Long takes w. nothing much said - and long takes where the speed of the talk , the accents, and the context made things hard to follow. Since I have much of the context in me it wasn't hard to take it all in - but for someone who has no clue .... Brilliant movie. The movie centered on the actual concrete happenings inside the prison where the IRA were - how they kept the struggle going, how they got messages out and in, the making of cigarettes from Bible pages, the beatings they endured - and , most interestingly, a Mass where all the prisoners -usually in solitary - got to mingle and plan. Powerful scene, w. the milling prisoners talking and talking and talking - all inaudible to the viewer except for the priest saying the mass.

So enjoyable - it started late so I figured i'd watch the second half next time I was up - but a quick look @ the watch showed me 25m left - I could stay to the end and still get home @ a decent hour - until the Youtube Diversion. Gallo put on CKLouis clip. Brilliant. Then another. And another. And ..... the Dubliners. And ... Eventually the movie got put back on, but I knew I was in for it the next morning. Brilliant? Just hadda stay and watch the end - I woulda left if it was not so compelling. Again, new vistas opened. Terrible ending - but, again, true to the movie's realism as we see Bobby Sands failing eyes and ears and, finally, his life gave out. true to his word, a soldier to the end.

Strasser the long leg back.

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