Because sometimes I don't complain

[evilhippo]

Today was surprisingly pleasant. I got up way too early, lazed around, and then ended up helping euthymic get tickets for Hillside, which, if I can get the time off work, I'll be going to too. Of course, this means two weekends in a row in July will be made of music festival, but the only downside I see is going back to work afterwards. (-: And the fact that the two weekends combined will cost me a bit more than $300... but all things considered, that's a ridiculously cheap vacation. And I'm spending the money now, so by July I won't even miss it, and it'll feel like free music.

So this got longer than expected, so here is the day divided up neatly.

Then I biked down to the MSI for more Destination Imagination stuff. We were roping kids in at a career fair, which meant we actually got some traffic because we had some interesting things going on. However, I reaaaally wish I'd gotten a chance to walk around to the other booths so I could harass Fermilab and such I am not above furthering my own agenda while volunteering.

Let it stand that I love being behind the scenes at museums. Big boxes, bits of old exhibits. It's so cool!

I also had a chance to see the Harry Potter Exhibition, which is at the MSI until the end of the summer, I think. It's clear the staff is still breaking in their accents, but oh guys, if any of you have a shred of cosplayer in you, or a penchant for small Harry Potter-related movie details, it's so cool. I wanted to steal so many of the robes. I would seriously love to have Tonks' robe/coat. I would wear it everywhere. And agh, it was so awful because it looked like it would probably fit me. I also contemplated stealing Fleur's chapeau and just bolting for the door. Unfortunately, the gift shop was so crowded I probably would've gotten caught before I made it anywhere near out. And it was full of kids, who have a sense of right and wrong when it comes to pilfering movie paraphernalia. (Though, if I'd turned my Science Chicago lanyard back around, some of them probably would've let me pass. I had it facing out when I started the exhibit, until I heard a pair of little girls next to me whisper "Ooh, there's [my name]" like I was important. It was very weird, so I hid it after that.) I wish I'd gotten to use the Sorting Hat, though.

Aaaand then, after another few hours of entertaining children and their parents with boxes, marbles, newspaper and golf balls, I wandered over to First Aid Comics because 1) it was free comic book day and 2) there has been a comic book store a mere block away from me for SIX MONTHS and I didn't know. I am such a failure as a nerd. And it's terrible, because now I have a Neighborhood Comic Book Store and the guy running it doesn't ignore me, unlike every shop clerk at Graham Cracker. (Seriously, stupid Graham Cracker clerks are about 100% of the reason I'm not reading any comics monthly.) It was pleasantly busy, so I grabbed Planetary, The Avengers, and the Ninja Turtles, made a quick bit of conversation about the sort of terrible pretentious stuff I tend to read and made them promise to give me some proper recommendations next time I stopped in.

Of course, there are other reasons I am really exited about having a comic book store a block away that is run by a guy I actually like, and the main one is my long-shot Indie Zine Project (Possibly Printed By Hand With Potatoes). And, on a more practical and likely level, Having a (comic) Book Store Owner to Talk To (this is important). Especially an upstart book store. I... okay, so I feel like getting to know the owner of a comic book store would be good for my future, okay? He's looking to get himself out there, I'm looking for people to get me out there. If I ever manage to produce something creative, the more independent, book-selling sorts I know, the better. And there's the tiny part of me that secretly expects to run into Obama there someday And he genuinely likes Hyde Park. It's... agh. Indie book stores, a bakery, my favourite produce store ever, viable record stores, a decent sushi place, and now comics. Hyde Park, why are you so miserable when people are attending the UofC when you are actually secretly wonderful? And how am I going to swing keeping this apartment (which adds "free heat" and "back porch" to the comfyness of this neighborhood)? Are you just making me like you because you know I'm going to have to move in four months and you want it to hurt me as much as possible? Or maybe you want me to love you so I stay and find a roommate to share this place, so they can be completely crazy and make me miserable for a year? Is that the plan? I know you're up to something, Hyde Park! I can smell it! ... It smells like the jerk chicken place down the street.

To counter-balance this, Avenue N Guitars is officially my enemy. I was there yesterday and no one there would talk to me, even though I had every intention of buying a ukulele. I went in, everyone turned to look at me like I was interrupting, then they started watching South Park and refused to even pay attention to me. Even when I started taking instruments off the wall. (This is pretty much also what clerks at Graham Cracker do to me, and I really don't understand this business plan.) Then I went again today and the blue line was broken so I was a few minutes too late to catch them before they closed. This... is not really their fault but I'm going to hold it against them anyway, because I've spent too much time trying to get this ukulele only to be thwarted twice. Stupid guitar store. I don't understand why the world doesn't want me to have a happy little stringed instrument! No mandolin, no ukulele. Why? Why why why?

I also had a long conversation on the blue line shuttle with a Torontoan (Torontian?) transplant here for the summer on an internship. I gave him a quick rundown of the neighborhoods I think are worth living in, and we talked a bit about exploring cities and about music. I got to talk about busking and actually call it busking, which never happens here. I don't even know what we call it, because I heard of busking from Canadians. Probably because street music sucks in Chicago (I blame the bucket boys). I say the street music sucks, but both times I've been up in Wicker Park lately there've been people on Milwaukee doing surprising things, like playing a resonator guitar and singing old-timey songs, or, in today's case, standing on the corner freestyle rapping into a mini-amp... so I guess I should qualify that the street music sucks everywhere but Wicker Park sometimes. And with the exception of block parties... but those are like festivals so they don't count. And... yeah. I probably should've given the guy more than my name to go on, and offered to help him out while he got Chicago figured out. Maybe someday I won't be afraid of being friends with guys anymore (it only ends in tears). He probably would've been interesting to know, though. Maybe I'll run into him again someday, and can go "Hey Neil! I remember you from trying to help you find Division street! How's it going?"

And ah... gosh this is long. 8-9: I sat down and wrote about my day because I have nothing better to do, except maybe make dinner like a normal, functional person. I guess today was an eventful day.