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40 Years in 30 Days | Day Two

Long after everyone else was asleep and the house was dark I would still be awake under the covers with one ear glued to the speaker of my transistor radio. I wasn’t thinking about Ms. DeStefano and I wasn’t listening to WVON or WGCI. I would spend hours listening to radio dramas of long ago or maybe just the overnight news on WBBM. Like I said in my Day One post, I was kind of a weird kid with a fetish for current macroeconomic news. I mean, my parents had a subscription to Newsweek but I think I got the most enjoyment out of the magazines.

40 Years in 30 Days | Day One

On October 1st I will mark a new milestone in my life. In talking about this upcoming birthday I have found that it is a surprise to many that this will be my 40th. While I am flattered that people mistake me for being much younger I can tell you that the implications of turning 40 hit me no lighter. This is a time of reflection and planning for the future but it is also a time of celebration. Over the next 30 days I will write about some of the stand out moments of my life and the people I have shared them with . You can all relax; nothing juicy and scandalous will be included. This is just a celebration of life and times to help me beyond this pivotal point in my life.

Have Twitter Will Test Drive

While navigating the cloud I got wind of a promotion Buick is launching called “Tweet to Drive”. Cohn and Wolfe and the Buick brand are putting a contemporary spin on the old test drive concept to introduce the new look of Buick to a new generation. I think the concept is brilliant and I have signed up to be a “brand ambassador” for the promotion. Social media is really becoming more of a segment of my professional life and less of a downtime pastime. Once you attend one of the Social Media Breakfast or Social Media Club functions I guess its just part of a normal progression to dig in and really see how this new communication channel really works.

The L.A.T.E. Ride Snarls Traffic Again

Driving home Saturday night I ran into a traffic jam at Roosevelt Road and State Street. Red light after red light found me sitting in place waiting for hundreds of westbound bike riders turning South onto State Street . Traffic was backed up for a mile in each direction at Michigan, at Wabash, on State Street and on Roosevelt. Before I could ~~hurl an F-bomb at the passing cyclists~~ voice my displeasure, I remembered being stuck in traffic on Michigan Avenue last year for the same event. The annual L.A.T.E. Ride was taking place.

Boy Was I Wrong About LeBron

Well, the LeBron-a-thon didn’t go the way I expected. It didn’t go the way anyone other than Miami fans expected for that matter. Personally I was sure BronBron would be reporting to the Berto Center as a Chicago Bull this fall but it wasn’t to be. I still feel playing in Chicago was his best chance at making it all the way to an NBA championship. Even so, after all is said and done, I can’t fault Mr. James for making the decision he made. I wish him well down in Miami.

Ultimate Guide to the Taste

Every year it happens. I'm in the loop during the taste and I see car after car with out of state plates or one with that I'm a proud parent of an “insert suburban high school name here" honor roll student going the wrong way on a one way street. They ask for directions to Willis Tower one block away from the building. If I had a dollar for every time I told a tourist to try looking up, I swear I'd be rich. I don’t know why but I’m always the guy the ask directions from. Sure I’m usually dressed professionally and always willing to help but if these types only knew what I was thinking inside. C'mon you know who you are out there so take note because this guide to the taste was written just for you.

One Goal: One Game Away

After a disappointing showing in Philadelphia, the Blackhawks returned to the United Center and returned to their winning ways. Although we won back to back games to open up the series I voiced my concern about production on Patrick Kane’s line in those contests. After the Flyers evened the series at two apiece Joel Quenneville noticed also. Splitting Kane, Towes and Byfuglien onto three different shifts was all the edge the hometown heroes needed to trip up Philadelphia and snatch back the series advantage 3 games to 2. Kane continued his scoring and Byfuglien showed up with two goals of his own (including one sweet empty net goal from nearly center ice). [More]

#Blagotrial Coverage… and It’s Bleepin Golden

Seriously you can’t make up the kind of entertainment I had the pleasure of witnessing today at the Blagojevich trial. I arrived outside Judge Zagel’s courtroom on the 25th floor of the Dirksen Federal building at about 7:30 AM. Just in time to hear the diatribe of a woman waiting outside the courtroom going on about how Blagojevich was framed for butting into the Republic Windows labor dispute. I don’t recall the former Governor intervening on the workers behalf but let this woman tell it, he’s paying the price for it now. [More]

Here Come The Hawks: Game 2 / Preview 3

Niemi! Niemi! Niemi! I can’t stop chanting his name. After Blackhawks goalie Antii Niemi turned away 33 of 34 shots in Game 2 can you blame me? The Hawks did exactly what I hoped they would do on Monday, which was to clean up the sloppy play and settle into the frenzied atmosphere to play some heads up physical hockey. Early on I thought the power play drought was going to continue for the Blackhawks but that evened out in Game 2 with five penalties each. Where there was no real bad blood between these teams before it sure exists now. [More]

Nextfest 2010 | A Celebration of Art

In May I got a chance to shoot a little bit of the 2010 NEXTFEST and talk to some of the artists at the Merchandise Mart. These creatives aren't traditional at all but amazingly creative. As a graphic designer dealing in the digital I am always amazed by artists creating tangible 3D works. I take many visual keys from the likes of their work and rarely miss this inspiring show. [More]