Kanye West is profiled in the latest edition of Rolling Stone in an article called “The Passion of Kanye West,” a play on Kanye’s legendary ego:

“In America, they want you to accomplish these great feats, to pull off these David Copperfield-type stunts,” West says. “But let someone ask you about what you’re doing, and if you turn around and say, ‘It’s great,’ then people are like, ‘What’s wrong with you?’ You want me to be great, but you don’t ever want me to say I’m great?”

I get food delivered a lot – definitely more that I should. And deciding what to eat is always a task (exhibit A). When you are chosing delivery with more mouths to feed than just yourself, you know you are asking for trouble. Not only do you all have to decide on where, but you also have to decide on what type. Which is exactly what happened last night.

Lauren: Whatchoo wanna eat?
Brianne: Delivery
Lauren: What kind?
Brianne: Not pizza. And not Chinese.
Lauren: You realize you just disqualified like 90% of delivery, right?

After long debate, it was decided that I really wanted BBQ chicken, and Brianne really wanted a Caesar Salad. Imagine our joy when we found the menu for Hecky’s. This place might as well be called “What Brianne and Lauren want delivered almost all the time”. And that ain’t all – the food was DELICIOUS and CHEAP! We ordered a half BBQ chicken, Caesar salad, hush puppies, mini cornbread muffins, and a 2 liter of Coke for just about $20 – delivery included. I highly, HIGHLY recommend the barbeque, especially if you want to marry Arby’s sauce as much as I do – tangy and delicious.

Actually, it’s live at Subterranean, but it’s a CD release show tonight for a compilation of songs recorded live at the band Big Buildings’ basement space, affectionately known as “The Sweatbox.”
There’s also a band named Milk at Midnight playing tonight, you should go check them out!

COMPILATION CD RELEASE SHOW:
“LIVE AT THE SWEATBOX”
At Subterranean
2011 W North Ave
Thursday January 26
9PM
$5 to get in, $5 to buy a compilation, and 5 short sets by (last to first):

Big Buildings
Adam Fitz
Telenovela
Milk at Midnight
Titmice

Bands Featured on “Live at the Sweatbox”:

Big Buildings, Catfish Haven, Bon Mots, Telenovela, Ladies and
Gentlemen, The Returnables, Adam Fitz, Riviera, Camaro Rouge,
Snowbeast, Cracklin Moth, Frodis, Hot Dog City, Illinois First!, Milk
at Midnight, Shot of Therapy, Stroby Alliance, Titmice, and Zimmerman
Twins

Tonight at Darkroom, John Dugan and I spin those records we like to spin, and Mexican Cheerleader plays a nice set of rock music. Also, Pete Oblivion joins us in the DJ booth like the old days of Club Foot (Tuesdays, circa 1995).

Above the clouds, looking south. As always, click to see larger sizes at flickr.

Chicago’s oldest man has passed away after 105 years full of life. He leaves behind quite a legacy – 74 grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Good for him. I have a soft-spot for those able to stick in out for the long haul – my great-grandmother was alive until I was well into high school. She passed away at the ripe old age of 102. I am constantly impressed by people that can surpass the age odds, so I tip my hat to Roosevelt Norris.

So I followed nikkos’ dating advice and I actually got married. Now what? Help me nikkos!

I saw this article in the Washington Post and figured, hey, if any readers actually take my dating advice, and wonder of wonders, actually find someone they love and get hitched, they’ll need some good marriage advice too.

At first, I thought the headline writer was, like, um, you know, making a point about, like, something else. But no, they really mean that men should treat their marriage in the same manner we treat our jobs (or, how we’re supposed to treat our jobs, you know, with energy, care and strategy. Or something.).

The article brings us the wisdom of Dr. Scott Haltzman, psychiatrist, professor, author of “The Secrets of Happily Married Men” and the companion website.

Dr. Haltzman offers 8 tips to “win your wife’s heart forever.”

Without further ado…
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Hot willikers, mister, this show is peaches!

What’s not to like about 1930s Chicago, pulp super-heroes brought to life, a 13 piece band led-by the dreamy Kevin O’Donnell, and the culmination of a three-year, three-play exploration of the nature of heroism and vengeance, forgiveness, and justice? It is, of course, Valentine Victorious, the final play in the Valentine trilogy from one of the most exciting theater companies in Chicago, The House Theatre.

I think the play can stand on it’s own, but if you’d like to get caught up on this genre- and era-spanning series before you go see the third play, both San Valentino and the Melancholy Kid and Curse of the Crying Heart are available as downloadable video (and if you watch nothing else, the climactic battle of Crying Heart is an incredible piece of action).

And hey, bring your lighter.

Valentine Victorious
Thursday-Sunday, through March 11, 2006
The Viaduct
3111 N Western Ave
$10-$19

Chicago Tribune, Chris Jones: House true to form as it wraps up `Valentine’ trilogy
Chicago Sun-Times, Hedy Weiss: Convoluted script weakens energetic ‘Valentine’

Iran: What to do, what are our options, where do we go from here?

NOTE: I am not interested in a right/left throwdown on this issue, although I am sure one will erupt. To be perfectly frank, I have not yet digested all the different angles and implications. I don’t know exactly what I think, however I do I fear that we are headed for another military conflict. Let’s try something different- let’s see if we can have a reasoned discussion instead of a mudfight. Dialogues instead of demagogues.

Also, I may stay out of the comments section on this one in order to spark more debate amongst you, the readers.

You may think that some of the questions below are naive, or painfully obvious. Rather, think of them as foils for thought- that which appears obvious on the surface may be shown to be a false or mistaken assumption in the end.

Questions to ponder as the situation over Iran and its intent to acquire nuclear weapons escalates:
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