• Traveling Along, We're Adventurers

    Oxford Experience Summer School

    My very dear friend Ellen lives in Germany – her husband David Beard is the Academic Director for the Oxford Experience, a study program that takes place in Oxford each summer. This would be SO cool – meals are taken in the Great Hall at Christ Church, which was the setting for the dining hall scenes in the Harry Potter movies. They have a really interesting program of subjects, and I wish that I could do this. Maybe some year. Ellen has been telling me about these for years, and each year I grow increasingly more and more envious. I’d…

  • Uncategorical Weirdness

    La Grand Jatte

    We’re going to the Art Institute on July 10th to see “Evolution of La Grande Jatte.”David’s parents are members and his mom loves to include us when she gets tickets to the big shows. It’s always a pleasant outing – we generally drive in, meet them on the steps if it’s a nice day, do the special exhibit, and head off for lunch. If there’s time we browse other temporary exhibits. The last time we went, my MIL and I wandered off to find the Mesopotamian section, because I think at the time we were in the process of invading…

  • Childfreedom - Traveling Along, We're Adventurers

    Muggy Day At Starved Rock

    A long-planned hike to Starved Rock today nearly came to naught because I, unlike Ronnie, am not the Great Communicator. However, we made it to the park and hiked, which consisted mostly of walking up and down stairs and along boardwalks. There are normal trails also, but the area is underlain by a layer of soft sandstone that erodes VERY easily, so the high-traffic areas are boarded. We met up with Steve and drove down to Starved Rock to join Jill and her friend Gina. I screwed up by not checking directly with Steve to be clear on a change…

  • Blogs Wot I Read - Random Access Memories

    The Best Lobster You’ve Ever Had

    Rance checks in with a postcard from the Hamptons, where he may or not may be or have been: I was on the fence about going until he mentioned “We’d be having three-and-a-half pound lobsters at his dinner party Saturday night. I’d always thought that smaller lobsters tasted better, but Bill assured me, “That is a myth invented by poor people.” Bill fits in very well in the Hamptons, by the way. In any case, as you may have surmised from previous entries, quality has always taken a back seat to quantity for me when it comes to crustaceans. So…

  • Uncategorical Weirdness

    Old Hollywood, Chicago Style

    I ran across this article in Chicago Magazine and couldn’t quit reading. Once upon a time, Chicago’s nightlife was full of big stars, and Irv Kupcinet was the guy that reported on them from Booth 1 at the Pump Room. Makes it sound almost fun to be famous, except for the sad parts. Fascinating reading.

  • Uncategorical Weirdness

    Oberweis, Oberweis, I’m So Happy To Eat You

    Mmmmm. Somebody here at work did an Oberweis run. Mmmmm. Tin Roooooooof. Mmmmm. [long pause] I can’t stand Jim Oberweis’ politics, but I love his ice cream. I’d have linked to his campaign site, but I get one of those “This website has been suspended – please contact the billing/support department as soon as possible” pages.

  • Music

    Remembering Ray

    Listening to KUNC‘s music webcast – they’re playing a lot of Ray Charles’ music just now. Sounds good. It helps. (Why do I listen to a Colorado station? That goes back to a trip with David in 1995. Don’t worry about it. Just listen.)