As Promised: Chicago Pics Late Dec-Present-CAPTIONED

Happy B-Day Audrey!

You look great wearing burgers

Bonnie Blair - Olympian Speed Skater

More Bonnie with kids

This is what my art has to compete with in the office. I should just admit defeat

Charniece's new tattoo

Work Christmas party with Whiskey and golf

More golf

Christmas party moved to Su Casa

Chicago looks beautiful in fresh snow

Work was so slow, I created this on my cabinet. It's an office supply Chicago skyline.

Hello Danielle.

The Darkroom on Monday Night Klub-Chicago Chapter

Playing pool at Darkroom

The greatest piece of jewerly ever. It's a dog ring. With my discount, it's only $5

I imagine him as a detective circa 1925 just waiting for a dame to come in to give him a case. That or else he ate the detective and is waiting to eat the dame when she comes in...

Elizabeth at Clio's eatting a giant salad when she should be eatting wings

Me, Noah, and Frances at the Damen stop Brown Line

Same

Noah and I failing to take one decent shot together

France's giant hand

Frances at the Two-Way

Bathroom at Two-Way

Harold Washington Library

Rem Koolhaas piece for Mies Van Der Rohe

Koolhass at IIT

Koolhaas at IIT

Me at Frank Lloyd Wright Robie House

Audrey at the same exact place

Frank Lloyd Wright's interior at the Rookery

Again at the Rookery

The Hulk has finally tamed the beast

I don't think Jenny can bring that bottle on the street. Or can she?

Josh and Simone

What do liberals hate? Is it talk radio? Is it wind? Is it the wind from talk radio? Is this from Grand Rapids?

You can't turn down the love robot

Dad and the Grizzly Bear on the L

I don't think the Grizzly Bear knows who I am

Oh sweet Mutiny. You provide so much for so little.

My office on my first day of work. I had to throw everything out. Imagine this totally different

You know the singing noctural animals from the Mountain Dew commercial. I saw this in there and thought it looked like someone I knew. Strange...

New Years at Club Foot

Laia at Club Foot

New Years at Innertown

Elizabeth on New Years

Again

Anne and I at Innertown

Roberto at the Swank Frank on New Years

Elizabeth and Anne at People Tapas on New Years

New Years profile pic for Elizabeth.

Suddenly on New Years, the camera was turned on me. I'm now a violent criminal

Roberto at Club Foot

Same

I don't know what Anne's doing here

Roberto needs to stop playing with the noisemakers

Laia and Anne on New Years at Club Foot

Matt and Roberto with noisemakers

A pigeon bonfire I found while on a scavenger hunt for work

accidental pictures are sometimes best

Neighborhood represent

Roberto right before he killed me

Roberto after he killed me

Roberto just before he sucked the blood out of Michelle's neck

Robert's amazing scorpion clock

A peace protest with shoes at Federal Plaza

Jenny making snow angels

The weirdest snowblower/plow thing ever

Tim and Laia

Tim

Harassing Tim still

I can't say. Just trust me. It's funny.

Waiting for the bus in Wicker Park

On the way to the bus

A Mike Kraus Update: Fully Illustrated and Now In Color

Starting out to be a pretty good day. I have my interview with the Feds next Tuesday. Did a little job hunting and got a couple interesting prospects. Ate some Kashi for breakfast. Not bad.

Last night, didn't do too much. Just worked on my paintings and then fell asleep watching Conan. The painting is coming along well though. About another four hours of work and it should be complete. I have one that I finished already. I'd like to get about 20 pieces done and maybe do a show or something. We'll see.

Anyway, here is another picture extravaganza. The pictures date from T-Day until just a day or two ago.

Outside view of where I work in all of it's Christmas glory

Inside where I work in all of it's Christmas glory.

The next dozen or so pictures are from the 57th floor of the Heritage. The Heritage is a new swanky condo right on Millenium Park where my work held a party for "young professionals." This is a view up Michigan Ave with the focus on the Wrigley Building.

This is the "Bean" and the ice rink in Millenium Park

Randolph St. facing Lake Michigan

Michigan and Randolph intersection.

Grant Park facing Lake Michigan.

Prudential and AON buildings.

Daley Plaza

The Smurfit/Stone Building. You may recognize it from Adventures in Babysitting.

Looking north toward Wacker Drive.

River North

This is Leslie & Andy's new dog. I think she was about three weeks old when I took this over T-day weekend. I forgot it's name, but remember it parents names had something to do with liquor. Poor sad imprisoned pup.

At Mike's Inn with Andrea and Amanda. This is how we think we look to the world.

At Mike's Inn. This is how we really look to the world.

Andrea pissed I took another photo of her.

Amanda making fun of my inability to remember my own phone number.

The least yuppie, classy, fake bar in town. Where the men are men and the women are scared.

Well, not this woman. She's been thrown out of Mike's and that is why we love her.

This is my favorite picture ever. It is of Matt. No, he is not homeless. He's just enjoying a nice PBR, which probably cost 35 cents at Mikes.

I have no idea what they are looking at.

After the show with Brian, Alice, Mike, and Jeff in Chicago.

The "M's" or the "Em's." Maybe something else. I don't remember.

This is Max. I've been told about him and everything I have heard has been true. He goes to every show in Chicago and somehow ends up on stage reading poetry about the bands that are going to play. He is amazing.

This is "Stag Party"

"Here Comes the King! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!"

At the Young Professional party for work way underdressed, tired, and about to go out on the town with Kim afterwards.

This is my co-worker Sierra. Sierra translates into "Jagged" according to a Spanish guy. She goes to school for architecture and models. She's shy about the whole modeling thing, but must have been pretty good since she's lived in New York, Milan, and Paris because of it. In this picture, she looks "Heroin Chic."

Laia is trying to steal my camera. Instead, I steal her soul.

This is my World Series buddy, Tim. He looks like W.C. Fields here.

This is Mr. R. The "R" stands for Roberto. Look at those eyes. The way he grips that MGD Light. He's an animal.

Here we are moments later on the 57th floor of the Heritage Building on the outdoor balcony. I hate heights.

Same place, but a little more posed.

This is Laia's Andrew W.K. shot. I'd put this rock star on the cover of an album anyday.

That's about it from Chi-town. I've got a lot done today already and it isn't even noon yet. I guess that's one of the joys of having your weekends on the weekdays. If I have days off on the weekends now I tend to not do anything. So, I'm about to head off to DEAL$ to buy some groceries. After that, I hope to start work on a new painting. Laia said something about going out to a movie with some of her friends. I've got to do some shaving as well so I can looks pretty for work. That's about all and I'll try to keep everyone posted about my X-mas plans. Right now, I have none.

XOXO

The Surly One