- The Park District’s rolling metal cart of old school roller skates with bright orange wheels.
- Appreciating that it’s illegal to turn right in front of a CTA bus because it precludes the stress of trying to turn right in front of a CTA bus.
- Getting back in the studio after a COVID-caused quarantine.
- The bar at the new Judson & Moore distillery in Chicago, made out of a tree from one of the owner’s childhood home.
- Piano moving attempt 2 [2022-06-28]. This time, with real pros. They made it look easy.
- Casey avidly monitoring radar as extreme thunderstorms and wind travel from Iowa toward Chicago.
- The near-constant lightning raining down over Chicago.
- Watching fireworks from Casey’s office window.
- Walking miles to the lake.
- The Cubs fan who almost thought it was OK to put his toddler in a Divvy bike basket and ride to the stadium.
- Eatin’ broth. Recuperating.
- THE BEAR. A new show from Chris Storer. Chicago through and through, with a Wilco song cherry on top.
- A horribly botched piano moving job. The professionals showed up with no packing materials, no lift gate, no sturdy dolly… They got it in the truck but couldn’t get it out. Neighbor with forklift came to the rescue.
- Andy Allen: “Why do furniture designers keep designing new chairs? We know it’s not to solve the problem of ‘sitting.’ The chair is simply the medium. The true goal is something bigger — to inspire, to broaden our understanding of what’s possible, or express something unique about what it means to be alive today.
- Recording awesome, harsh, angular improvised music with Matt R.
- The last day of a weeklong, lovely session.
- Sammy’s and my improvised synthesizer-and-drums duo show at Mu Gallery, opening for BSA Gold.
- Casey’s DJ set at Golden Dagger benefitting Chicago Abortion Fund.
- Driving behind a freakily reckless car, whose occupants got out at every stop light to twerk on the street and/or on the hood of the car.
- The release of Joan Shelley’s new album, The Spur, including two tracks on which I play drums.
- Helping some friends move an old metal desk from one room to another.
- The midcentury “E.G.A. Cemetery Planning Services” brochure we found in it.
- Recording Jack H playing a makeshift glass, ceramic, and metal receptacle percussion kit.
- Chet recording distorted C-3PO-y guitar sounds through a ring modulator.
- Day one of a weeklong session.
- Preparing for a week in the studio.
- Eating elote with Casey at the beach.
- Rowing an inflatable boat with Casey for the better part of the afternoon.
- Emerging from a hiking trial to find a woman in her 60s, Stephanie, doubled over, coughing. I asked if she needed help. She said she was OK, “just trying to breathe.” We stood and talked about her former job as a nurse, Native American music, and God for a while.
- The tiny beads of sap oozing up, gleaming, on a wooden deck.
- Walking with Casey on a rural road at night, Basil’s new collar lamp lighting the way.
- Cooking, crying, napping on a bean bag, and listening to music with Casey.
- Playing with Sima Cunningham at the historic Green Mill (for the Paper Machete variety show), and then later at the Hungry Brain.
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