My B-day is Going To Cause My Broken Back

Thanks to everyone for your b-day wishes. I think I have received more b-day congrats this year than any other year. Probably because MySpace has that b-day feature. Whatever the reason, thanks!

This is one of Noah & Frances' new cats. I believe this is Cinnamon Pop Tart.


And, I think this one is Turnip Bicycle?


Here's Frances in her new apartment with my old painting (Ben Johnson has made a claim)


USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA!


Megan and SME at the California Clipper for a kinda b-day, Dustin visiting, need something to do night. We just about took the bar over with all the Muskegon Exiles there.


Noah, Frances, and I at the Clipper.


Frances getting ready for dispute resolution Humboldt Park style. Just like old times in Michigan.


Noah has never looked at Frances so lovingly...


Me and Noah in the pointing game.


HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MIKE! LET'S GO TO A POLICE AUCTION. It was pretty fun, but I thought it would have cooler things like cars, drug dealer homes, couches, and all. They had tons of bikes!


Here are the two bikes we won! Megan's was $30 and mine was $25.


And here's Megan's new bike helmet.

Thanks again to everyone for making a great b-day for me. I hope to see you all soon if I don't see you a lot already at the weekly BBQs. If you do go to the weekly BBQs, I hope to see you tonight! xoxo, Mike

WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD NOAH & FRANCES!!!

First of, welcome Noah and Frances to Chicago! For those that don't know, Noah and Frances are some of my closest and best friends from Muskegon, Michigan. I use to live with them when I lived in Grand Rapids and played "Jesus Jesus" (drunken dominoes). For those who haven't met them yet, I'm sure you will soon.

Also, not too much to report over the last week as most of my time was spent with the toilet because of the flu.

Also, I signed up for a "Martial Arts" class through the Chicago Park District. It is an Aikido (sp?) class and I've already learned how to properly sommersault and throw a man to the ground. Next week, I will be flying through the air and kicking a man through his chest. The class is $20 for two and a half months.

I officially announce my hatred of all that is X-mas. These decorations at work were put up two weeks ago and I've grown to loath them with the 80+ degree weather we've been having. This isn't about Jesus, this is about insanity.


Talking about insanity, look at this line that I had to deal with at work. I have no idea why people would be up this early on a Saturday if they weren't paid for it. I mean, I'm paid to be up and I still have to decide whether or not it is worth it each week.


Andrew, Nate, Mike, and Nick at Angela, Brent, and Evan's Housewarming Party on Saturday. They have an awesome two story apartment.


Megan, Librarian Girl, SME, and Karli at the Housewarming Party.


Noah and Frances' new apartment. I have no name for it yet. Although, I've been thinking "yellow house." Seems fitting...


Frances and Noah's mom unloading lots of stuff!


My lazy legs up on the stuff.


My lazy body down on the couch.

That's about it. FRANCES AND NOAH!!!

The Little TV Is a Little Little...

You know the drill...

The DIY (Do-It-Yourself) Renegade/Division Festival. Basically, a festival dedicated to hipsters, artists, 'zine makers, and other oddities...


Check out the wares!


My favorite stand: The Postcard Machine is a girl in a fabric vending machine selling cards and beeping like a vending machine. People didn't care what she was selling, just the show.


A DIY PONY RIDE! Something very sad and wonderful about this...


A fuzzy Baroque photo of Wednesday Night BBQ. Welcome to the "Grillin' Experience" Noah and Ryan!


Nate, Ryan, Matt, and Noah after a few brats and beers!


Even Gracie is feeling the pain of glutony...


Nick and Nate with our new roommate (kinda). He's a "couch surfer" like Nick was over the summer. What is couch-surfing? Check out this website:

http://www.couchsurfing.com/

Emmanuel is from France and seems like a cool guy. But, there's something unnerving about having a complete stranger on your couch...


Noah has been staying with me for a while until him and Frances move to Chicago and become my neighbors! Completely awesome. Everyone is moving to Chicago! It's like Muskegon just packed up a U-Haul for everyone I know and sent them down. It's heavenly!

That's it for now.

xoxo,

Mike

The Psychodelic Hot Dog

Hey All,

It's been a while... My iMac from 1999 is having some difficulty understanding the internet these days. So much has changed. Unfortunately, that makes it difficult to check email and all. I don't really care to spend $1000 to screw around on the internet. So, if anyone has any bright ideas, I'm all ears...

A part of an exhibit at the Cultural Center.


My lady brought me out to see "high culture." Here's the Chicago Dance Festival at Millennium Park. This is some local company that was very good.


More dancing!


Abbi (sp?) at Annie Zipper's going away party. Goodbye Annie Zipper. Keep in touch.


Megan moved into her new apartment last weekend with the help of Lil Sammy Mover.


This is Megan's new apartment; "The Hobbit House." Why is this the Hobbit House, you ask? First, notice the rounded off edges on the doors and all. Nice touch. Also, the ceilings are only 6' 2". So, no basketball players allowed. It's a great place though. Especially for a 2 bedroom for $600!


This chaise is crazy. It is so well-built and solid, we had to destoy it. It was so big, heavy, and awkward that we could not get it down the stairs. How it got up the stairs baffles me too. It's a shame that such a nice piece of furniture was ruined...


Talking about nice furniture, here's Lynn Nummerdor's latest creation! The psychodelic hot dog is really becoming her trademark!


Who doesn't love a hot dog who knows he's delicious?


It's not everyday that Lamborghinis (sp?) are spotted in Humboldt Park. So, I was going to talk about how these might be to replace the one Lance Briggs, Linebacker for the Chicago Bears recently crashed with only 400 miles on it. But, on my way to the office, I saw these and a couple other Lamborghinis just north of the Merchandise Mart with cop cars marked GPD for Gothem Police Department. So, you'll probably see Christine Bale driving these around downtown Chicago when Batman: The Dark Knight comes out in the next year or so...

That's it. Hope all is well with everyone!

xoxo,

Mike

Sweet New Home Chicago!

It is raining and hailing hard outside. Good thing I decided to stay home instead of working on the new zine and taking pictures...

As many of you know already, I have moved from my apartment in Ravenswood to Humboldt Park. It's been just over a year since I moved back to Chicago and I'm surprised that I've achieved as much as I have. It's more than I ever expected and things look good on the horizon. Anyway...


The Grizzly Bear packing up his stuff after a good year at Lawrence and Wolcott. Good luck with the lady and new job in St. Louis!


All of my possessions in the back of a U-Haul van. I'd be delighted if I could have just dumped it off of a cliff.


My old room at 1836 Lawrence. You've treated me well...


My new room at the Murder House facing northwest.


My room facing east


My new kitchen


My new stove and fridge.


My new livingroom.


My new roommate (I think this is Lady)...


Now for a different subject. This is the stupidest thing I've seen in a while. There are people dying because they are not getting the proper amount of food and resources and we are wasting our energy on this? This is what will kill the capitalist agenda...


Oh, they have Wonderwoman too? In that case, I would like two...


Barbeque at the new apartment. Matt gets the grill fired up

Okay, there you have it. Alls well at the new apartment and Chicago as a whole. I hope everyone is doing as well as I am and I hope to hear from you soon!

xoxo,

Mike