End of Season Blues

The end of September marks a special time of year, the major league baseball playoffs. For a fiercely proud Sox fan this will indeed be a sad post-season. The Cubs making the playoffs makes the fact that the Sox didn't make the playoffs hurt that much worse. However, there are some positives that came out of the entire mess.

Last Monday, Sean Olis, came up with an awesome hookup. Scout seats right behind the plate that included all you could eat and drink. Under the seating area was a great buffet that even served prime rib. Call me un-American, but fuck the ballpark frank, I'll take the prime rib.

The game was exciting with the Sox falling behind the Royals 1 to 0 in the first then getting 5 of their own runs in the bottom of the inning. The score remained this way until the 7th inning. Contreas pitched a great game up until that point, but he immediately looked tired when he took the mound. Somehow, Guillen didn't notice and let him pitch until it was too late. Even the relief pitchers couldn't help and the Sox lost 9 to 5.

On Thursday, Krikau came up with some box seats behind first base. This game was all Sox. Even a rookie named Holliday(?) through a great performance. Sox won 10 to 0. Wait until next year ya bastards.

Hamell on Trial

Friday night at Shuba's was bound to be a success because it featured Hamell on Trial. It's weird, having seen Ed Hamell for at least 10 years now, I would have always described his show primarily as a concert with some biting humor. And what a show it is. Never before have you heard such pounding acoustic guitar. How does he work that sort of energy and sound out of an acoustic? Hamell's lyrics are also amazing. Speaking of political corruption, odd characters met in seedy places, and a love for drugs that just seem to hold together this tortured soul, Hamell never fails to mesmerize.

Now don't get me wrong, Friday at Shuba's Hamell still mesmerized, but Hamell on Trial's approach had changed. Hamell focused more on his humor to stimulate the audience's mind than on his music. He not only rocked the house to the ground, but shared the true inspirations for his lyrics. It definitely was to the crowd's benefit to know why he transitioned from a song praising eatin' pussy to one about his dad killing his mom and then himself.

If his lyrics are at all true, Hamell has endured more than any of us should. We're just lucky that he's found such an amazing way to show us what he's feeling. Hamell keep preachin to us! Ani Defranco thanks for signing Ed Hamell when we could have lost his spirit forever.

It's Alive

That's right people of earth, the creature you know as Tony Pozeck has arisen from Blog death and is now trying to awake. Chicago has been great. Living in the City along the Blue Line allows access to everything the City has to offer.

This week, I've gone to the Museum of Science and Industry and the Art Institute of Chicago. The grandeur of each building (and the treasures inside) adds to Chicago's architectural beauty and provides an opportunity to expand the mind.

At the Museum of Science and industry the robot from Lost in Space captivated the crowd. In distant echoes the words, "Danger Will Ronbinson, Danger!!!" could be heard.





The Art Institute is such a monstrous building that to do it justice, several days would be needed. I just kept exploring its hallowed halls going from picture to picture, sculpture to sculpture listening to what the headset told about each artistic style and certain pieces in particular. It's amazing to think that you're standing so close to such famous images.




Perhaps the most exciting exhibit of the day appealed to me because it showed just how different I am. By standing under a spotlight, you can see a geothermal scan of your body. Look at mine closely to see the effects of all those brain surgeries. The metal plates stand out and a red spot shows where the fake skull is located. It was fun showing a group of students the differences between their heads and mine.