kidsmoke

I think we're still gonna need a cake. A very tall one please, and chocolate! You made me laugh out loud! Well actually we are born on the 27th. Robin, you are one of the relative newcomers that I enjoy most around here....you're such a good fit for VC, and so much fun to have around. MY EYES!!! MY EYES!!!!! Bleeding here!!!!! Are those lobsters?

My sweet sister in song, I love that we share our celebratory day! As for that snowglobe, it makes me want to take up juggling. Snowglobe juggling. What a thing to see emerging out of a blizzard!!!!! YIKES! Did I tell you that Loretta got me a very cool Arkansas snowglobe? It has, like, Arkansas symbols and a map.....all the glories of Arkansas! M.Chris will never catch up, though you've gotta give her credit for trying. I'm just a bit quicker. It's like the tortoise and the hare, and I'm like whichever one won. Melissa, ixnay on talking about the azinhay itualsray!!! Now we'

Ah, where to even begin? You guys make me feel so incredibly loved, and I can't tell you enough how much you all mean to me. I love you fiercely. Sweetie, I look forward to getting to meet you. You're one of those VC'ers of whom I've always thought, "I hope we get a chance to be at some show together." And we love you, Rosie! So good to see you around here. Thank you, Mike, and much appreciation for the picture you posted of the guy with the big gun! Yowza!

The Year of Fog has a cool little surprise within it that you will get a kick out of. Read "Catching Genius" too. Ignore the cover blurbs....to me it was barely about the "math prodigy" aspect. It's far more about the complexity of our relationships with the people closest to us. It's beautifully written & realized.

I've been happily immersed in reading ever since I got some books for Christmas. I've finished these three and heartily recommend all of them. Catching Genius tells the story of a family in transition, and is expertly, believably written. Very moving, and as a debut novel, very impressive. It's a beauty. (Don't let the cheesy cover put you off.) "Nineteen Minutes" refers to the length of time it takes an unhappy student to devastate his school & the surrounding community, when he goes on a Columbine-style rampage. Not for the faint of heart, obviously, but the stories wrapped around h

I remember feeling exactly this way when I first met him. It does go away, once your brain absorbs the realization that he's just a human. A very talented one, but human all the same. A nice human. Good luck with the nerves. Don't let them stop you.

That's a great memory! Lucky you. Hazel, you'll find that the band is very approachable after the show, and are some of the nicest guys in the world. No rock star egos to contend with. They are used to people wanting photos and are very nice about it....more than once I've seen Jeff or another band member notice someone's camera and ask, "Did you want a picture?" I always thought that was so incredibly thoughtful of them, to understand that a fan might feel intimidated or shy about asking. Have fun, and no need to cut out of the show early to meet them.

I'd just pity the fools.

It's a tough job, but somebody's gotta do it.

I know.

Damn, Christy, you are one busy chickie!

We seem to be getting a bit free and easy with the posting of crude images and language lately. Let's clean it up, folks, and keep VC a place where younger members, or those with milder sensibilities, are also comfortable. We've asked before, and repeat the request, that you refrain from posting any NSFW (not safe for work) images. This is both to keep those of you browsing at work from coming to the boss' attention when you're noticed viewing inappropriate images....wouldn't wish that on any of you! ....and also for the simple reason that we want Via Chicago to continue to be, as it has alwa

I was standing beside my album shelf tonight, beside Natalie's tinfoil gods and goddesses, and was struck all over again at how much I miss her. I could picture her hands shaping the tinfoil folds of my beautiful little sculptures. It left me reflecting again on how surprising it is, what lives on beyond us to capture our personal energy. Natalie, you left so much behind. I love you and miss you, and will always remember you through these silly but gorgeous little sculptures. I'll remember you in so many other ways as well. I hope I live half as intense and intentional a life. You made a lot

These are veritable works of art, Mart. Notice the judicious inclusion of the word, "veritable". These politicos could learn a thing or two from ol' kidsmoke. From you & Craig, too.....how their ratings would soar if we could see, say, Barack's face on the rider of a bucking bronc, or maybe Hillary's face on a body scaling the sheer face of Yosemite....Guiliani with a flamenco guitar and a rose in his teeth....yep, what the candidates need are cards to hand out at rallies. You should design some for them, Mart.

Oh you are not. Are you? Photos please.

So "Octopi" is the thing with the flaky bottom crust and the lattice top crust?

Neil continues to move and amaze me after all these years. Happy birthday, Neil, and thanks for so much.

Oh God, that was a fabulous story! I laughed out loud. I really need to learn to knit. Kate, I swear your efforts won't have been in vain.

I think the original octopus-knitter (who poppydawn got it from) should knit the uterus too, then put the octopus in the uterus, and really confuse her profs by pulling the octopus out at random moments during class. What can I say, classes used to be a lot more fun when I was in them.

Just being silly, stooka.

Well I didn't mean to really ignore me. Anthony, I've gotta tell you, unless you just stumble across a real find in some little record shop, I don't think you are likely to find any Wilco vinyl in the $10 range.

I think what would have really made it worth a lot of money would be if it had been autographed by the future band members. I mean, how spooky would that have been?! You all should probably just ignore me....

I'm sitting here with the last sliver of the dark-chocolate-with-lavender bar dissolving slowly on my tongue. I had to hide it from myself in the freezer to not just inhale it all in one sitting. How to describe? It's subtle, but definitely infused with the lavender fragrance. It tastes elegant, like eating perfume. Ok, well, here we see why I will never earn my liviing as a food critic. But suffice it to say, it's delicious stuff, and the dark chocolate is as smooth as satin. The dark chocolate with Brazilian pink peppercorns has the same satin smooth dark chocolate, but with an edge. Agai

Tualla, I listened, I liked! These songs have great atmosphere to them!