"That Was Awful." "What Are You Looking At Me For? You Said It." "I know. It's Still Awful."

The festivities continue. In fact, I might have to help others in finding festivies. A lot of people have been sending me e-mails acknowledging their lameness and wanting help. So, I think I am going to start a "What To Do In Muskegon" website. It will have parties, bars, concerts, shows, and other events. So, start sending all public welcome events to me and I will see what I can do...

This is GH pier right before it rained.

Hasan and I planned a huge party last night. Look at all the people. People refused the invitation by phone, so we ended up going out because people cannot refuse by force. The Beast From the Middle East knows that all too well...

Ahhh... Friends Forever...

Here are our recruits for Hasan's party just as everyone was to head home. Notice the guilty looks and body postures on everyone. By the time 5:30 am rolled around, I think everyone had something to regret...

Not sure what I am doing today. Andrea's birthday is at midnight and she becomes legal. I don't want to be out too late since I have to work tomorrow morning and have to catch up on some sleep. Especially since Monday is going to be my Day of Wreckoning...

Worthy Charitable Causes...

Let's start with some shameless self-promotion. If you haven't checked out my latest 'zine, please do so at:

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Thanks and now for the show...

Nick had a charity fundraiser for his film about Couch surfing last Tuesday. So, all the Michigan Exiles came out to support him and the good cause...


...and what good cause is complete without strippers oil wrestling. Please check out Nick's upcoming adventure at:

Couch Surfing


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!


And USA! beats skinny girl.


This pool has something like 40 bottles of baby oil and one bottle of vegetable oil, which ended up all over the place. It splashed as the girls wrestled and all over the floor as they walked around between matches. I felt bad for the busboy who had to mop the whole night at Sluggers (just south of Addison on Clark).


You can see how much oil is in here if you look at their feet...


The last time I had a picture of an inflatable pool like this I have a picture of Nick in short shorts. Curious...


When will this become an official 501 (c) 3 nonprofit that I can make tax deductible donations to?


Saturday night, riding bikes to the Tip Top on our way to a party.


Karli, Chris, and Nick after our very brief stop at the party. Very brief...


Chris, Matt, and Nick closing out the night on the Murder House porch.


Folk & Roots Festival in Lincoln Square.


I got a Cajun Hot Dog for $3 here. It was delicious.


Forget the "Danger Zone" baby, we're going to the Drop Zone! But seriously, what a lovely name for a port-o-john...


The "Rock and Roll" festival just north of Wrigleyville. Mostly cover bands, but well done and great sound. And an inflatable gorilla.


The "L" passing over one of the stages.


The "sexy nurse" band.

Megan and I at the Harry Potter movie at Navy Pier. It was in IMAX 3-D. I'm not a huge Harry Potter fan, but it was a decent movie. Then again, anything in IMAX 3-D is a good movie. I'd watch Xanadu in IMAX 3-D and love it...

Again, my 'zine, A New Tomorrow, can be viewed at:

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Another 'Zine Completed

Please check out the 'zine posted on the blog at: http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=21946350&blogID=284581085 or click on: www.MySpace.com/HFIpublishing


Thanks to everyone for your help, support, inspiration, and everything. Love you all.

Mike

Belchy Bartokomous Or Farty McFly?

Things are coming along nicely. In a few days, I will be at the copy shop making the next issue of my 'zine. It's all written and all. So, hooray! In the next couple of weeks, I will be going camping. Hooray again! The 4th of July is this week. I've been BBQ-ing like there's no tomorrow. Fireworks! HOORAY!

Here's a bee drawn on a building that caught on fire near my apartment.


I've been seeing some fine automobiles lately. I have to think it's somehow connected to the Transformers movie.


The girls posing for Katie's (left) going away party, part II. For those that don't know, Katie is going to be a "Marilyn Monroe-type actress" at Disney World. So, that means a trip to Disney this October!

 
Margarita's for Katie!


Nick showing off Black Moses by Isacc Hayes. Karli's mom gave it to him with some other good finds from garage sales in Minnesota.


This is my new favorite photographer. He is located across the street from the Two-Way Lounge on Lincoln.


Matt and Amanda at the Two-Way Lounge. I don't know when the Two-Way became a Hipster bar, but it's strange. Seeing a packed bar full of kids with funny haircuts is much different than a couple of regulars. It's a good time, but a very different atmosphere. It's only a matter of time though until the douchebags arrive and PBR goes from $1 to $3...


Nick, Rob, and Matt figuring out the economics of the Two-Way.


To me, this much patriotism is suspicious. What are they hiding behind the flag that is eight stories tall and six windows wide? Is this a front? Whatever it is, I have to say: 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!


Tearing down a building on Clark somewhere near the Gold Coast.


I'm all about environmentalism, but I have limits. This is the worm bin at work. We are suppose to dump our food into this bin and have the worms convert it into dirt. Nothing too odd since I grew up with a composter and had a similar set up in Grand Rapids. But, this is downtown Chicago. This thing is going to stink up the office and bring in more bugs than you can imagine. Also, what are we going to do with the dirt in downtown Chicago? We don't have plants because we don't have windows. I'm sure you will hear more about this. It's the talk of the office already...


Beth and John showing off John's Pasta Party 2007.


PIZZA FEST! IT'S PIZZA FEST. This is Pizza Fest? Really? What a disappointment. Well, it wasn't well planned. Pizza Fest is a great idea and everyone I knew wanted to go to it. But, they scheduled it at the same time as the Taste of Chicago and no vendor was going to be here instead. So, only three pizza stands at Pizza Fest. I think they had more sunglass vendors than pizza. It was their first year. If they do this next year and hold it in September, I bet it would be awesome.


Mike, Megan, and I hung out at the beach for a little bit since Pizza Fest was a bust. Sat in the patio area overlooking downtown and then walk the beach. Feet in the water. Nice...

..
What a strange lifeguard situation in Chicago. If our lifeguards are in a rowboat wearing rain coats, it's no wonder they never filmed Baywatch here.


Cooking hot dogs at Angela and Brent's apartment!


Karli teasing the very pleasant Gracie.


Words fail me...

That's all. It should be another busy week. At some point, I need to pick up some batteries because they are on their last leg. No batteries = no pictures. With all the festivals, parties, and trips coming up, I need to remedy that soon. Much love, Mike

Sometimes, You Just Get One Chance.

So here we go!

Wednesday BBQ Night.

Back at Kuma's Corner for Heavy Metal burgers. Mike seems to be pondering the meaning of ketchup.

What's more appropriate that Mike and Nick eatting a burger called "The Mastadon?"

Karli is featuring "YOB"

Cliff is having the "Iron Maidon" with a side of "ruggage."

This is my "Metallica."

Rumor had it that Humboldt Park was having an art fair this weekend. So, on our way to breakfast at the Flying Saucer we cut through the park. No art fair, but a great car show. Unless this is the HP art fair?

I wish these cars had information on how much time and money it took to do this because these cars are incredible.

My favorite feature of this car is the curb feelers.

When this Caprice rolled in, everyone stopped and watched it park, which took ten minutes to do...

Where are the airbags?

I like the spedometer and clock on the dashboard of this car. Very classy old Ford.

My neighbor back on Crestwood in Muskegon, Michigan use to have a Model A Ford like this. John (my neighbor) use to drive this around and let me ride in the rumble seat. For those that don't know, a rumble seat is the seat that pops out of the trunk of this car. After a short drive we'd head back and watch the Detroit Tigers game on his small TV.

None of my friends Buicks in high school looked like this.

I really like this Dodge Charger. It says "We like Dukes of Hazzard, but have our own style."

Now this is a Camero.

I'm not sure what's going on in the bed of this pickup truck.

This is an old Dick Tracy car with crazy upholstery.

Nothing says "American Family Road Trip" more than this car. I'd love to take a wife and a couple of kids to California in this.

This is one of my favorite vehicles.

This is the inside of the vehicle above. Probably one of my favorite features of this car is the interior based on my childhood bedroom. All it's missing is some punk rock posters, a bed, and lots of books of sketches and drawings.

Perhaps this should be my next tattoo?

If I still had my Volkswagen Rabbit, this is what I would do with it.

Can you imagine driving down the road and seeing this in your rearview mirror? What a dream machine!

This is the car Prince would drive.

My mistake. THIS is the car Prince would drive...

Look at this minivan. There was one other minivan in the show and it was a Sierra as well. Although, this one has been pimped. I didn't take a picture of the other one because the only unique feature was the interior smelled like Raspberries.

The van features six TVs. That's more than any house I have ever lived in has had.

I'm not sure, but I think this is a Transformer.

This car is a labor of love. What a great old Impala. I really like the orange and chrome. The engine was all chrome with etchings throughout. It has hydrolics. A car I'd love to drive REAL slow by Pere Marquette Beach.

After breakfast at the Flying Saucer, we ended up at Belmont Street Festival. It was pretty dead. The only thing of interest was the mostly girl punk band at one of the stages.

If there's anything true about Megan, it's that she's classy and has good fashion sense.

What do you get a good Catholic Irish-American girl? Well, the Kennedy's board game, of course! My favorite card inside was rating "Teddy's Social Standing." If only they knew then what we know now...