I wanted this story to be good but I don’t really have time (reader be warned). I enjoyed this encounter and it’s difficult to explain why. Perhaps because it reminded me of traveling, but also because I thought the limited relationship had a clarity to it that was refreshing. Whatever.

wednesday night microcosm

My friend Suzanne had me over for a wonderful dinner party tonight. She introduced me to her dinner party friends and cooked a lovely meal. Dinner conversation included English language origins, books we had read recently and why we were thankful this Wednesday. At 9:30 I was totally dragging and wanted to study a bit for my Friday night class so I excused myself and started heading home. I left her warm Ukrainian Village apartment and headed over to Ashland to catch the bus. While walking to Ashland I see the bus shoot right by. Damnit. At this time of night I’d expect 15-30 minutes (tending toward 30) between buses. I arrive at the bus stop a minute later and was joined by a young woman a minute after that. I intended on waiting for the bus, but I quickly change my mind and try to hail a cab that totally does not see me.
"Where are you going to?" the girl asks me.
"By DePaul, Lincoln Park. Where are you going?"
"Courtland."
"Oh, that’s right on my way, we can ride share. I just saw the bus go by that’s why I’m taking a cab."
"OK then it could be like 20 minutes and it’s so cold."
"Have you lived in Chicago long?" I ask – while 23F (according to the bank across the street) is cold it’s not bad on a mid January night.
It turns out she grew up in the suburbs and now lives in Bucktown. We make introductions while I’m standing at the corner trying to hail a cab. I totally don’t think of this as anything more than just the sort of economical arrangement I’d make when traveling in a foreign land. This is to say I didn’t feel like I was meeting her to actually know her.

It occurs to me that it was pretty brave of her to ask me. I tell her that.

We finally get into the cab and head toward Courtland. She asks me where I live specifically and I tell her I’m living in the house I grew up in. Do I go to work or school? Both now, you? She’s working and taking one class – Statistics at Northwestern. Me? I’m also taking one class – Financial Accounting at the U of C. "No one ever told me my mid-twenties would be so fun." I say and get a laugh.

We’re nearing Courtland, she’s going to hop out at the corner and I’ll continue on my way. She starts pulling out money, I tell her it’s not a big deal as I was riding this way anyways but she insistently throws a few dollars in my hand before she gets out. Good night.

Some thoughts from this evening:

Oh, Champagne, good idea!

Music: "If you have a hundred dollar bill - get your hands up!"
Oh, I better get my hands down (and I did)

This place is so loud I can’t hear myself think... What?

Competed in ballroom dancing? Hot

I have the pictures I took with a disposable film camera of the Girl Talk NYE show on flickr. Check out some videos from the show! (1) (2)
The January Palatable Project is still on, I’ve taken pictures every day but have not yet posted the pictures from Fri/Sat.

I hope your NYE celebration was totally kickass.

Two hours into 2007 I was drenched in sweat buying Girl Talk a shot of whiskey. I had already used all my disposable camera's pictures during the show so I guess you'll have to take my word for it. An hour later I took this picture:

muha

Recent reflection lead me to believe that I need more structured stuff to do this year. I'm starting some classes soon and my own project on flickr I call

"The January Palatable Project"
In an effort to take more pictures I plan on posting a picture taken from every day in January. I will post every picture I take from that day that has any redeeming qualities and then pick the one I find most palatable.