All Things Chill

I’ve been using my laptop for the past week here in Chicago and I thought I’d give it a lil’ love with Jesse Hodgie’s Maintenance 3.8 Automator Script Action (Apple link here). It’s probably the placebo effect, but everything seems a little mo’ snappy (MORE SNAPPIES!). Streaming video seems a little smoother too. [...]

Larger view here. I hung with the closest people I can call “extended family” and enjoyed a full day of relaxation with my cousins. It’s been a while since I’ve seen them and to tell you the truth (and no offense to anyone else I know) – hanging with them is best way [...]

Taken from a birthday dinner @ Maggiano’s in Oakbrook, IL with Jas, Gar, Lori, Rho and Jacs (names shortened to protect the innocent lol). We ordered drinks (made mine a Tanqueray on the rocks) and dinner for 6 people: calamari, bruschetta, veal marsala, veal parmesan, the rigatoni “D” with chicken, and a gnocchi special [...]

I have the greatest yearning to sing this song in public. Karaoke perhaps (huh babers, huh)?!?!? Billy Ocean – Suddenly via Youtube. There’s even a Ne-Yo cover hereif you youngins can’t stand VHS to DIGITAL conversions. Hee hee.
Don’t forget to bring your lighters for encores!
~Spec

Oat and Apple Silverdollar Pancakes with a Spiced Rum Maple Syrup and BACON

I woke up from yesterday’s Rock Band marathon (YAY I’m the resident drummer!) @ Jason’s place before everyone else, so I cooked breakfast! LOL, big surprise. I dug around the Obaob family pantry and found enough ingredients for apple & oatmeal [...]

Gorgonzola-Stuffed Chicken Breast with Herbed Polenta and Baby Arugula Dressed in a Sun-Dried Tomato, Toasted Pine Nut Vinaigrette
Yesterday, I spent the daylight hours chillin’, slightly headache-y at Jacqui’s beautifully located apartment in the heart of Wicker Park. I played with Jacqui’s iPhone with hands of lust, pet her cats until they fell asleep in [...]

Have you ever find yourself dancing through life without a care in the world and then, as if someone somehow hacked your brain and a pile of memories – desired or otherwise – rushes to your head to a point where just regular “flashbacks” pale in comparison…?
Huh huh? Well have you?
Well, that’s been [...]

Flickr album here. So the gig went well and it was a really great turnout for a FREAKIN’ Tuesday. It was everything that the flyer said: Jorge spun the vinyl and I played the horn. Good times, good times.
Jacqui, Clint and Jake stopped by – looking totally FIERCE btw – [...]

I found this mixset archived on an old backup DVD and decided to give it another post, since it’s one of my favorite mixsets. Here’s what I wrote about it two years ago (wow, 12.14.2004!):
Another mix out for you guys. I haven’t made such an emotion fueled mix since this one right here. This [...]

I don’t want to bother with driving downtown if I’m gonna be jumping around so much to visit my peeps, so I’m taking the train down to Georgia Union Station to meet up with Jorge for the gig tonite.
It’s not as pretty as BART, but it’ll have to do!
See you tonite! [...]

To one of my oldest friends, happy birthday. I think this picture was from around 2001…? By looking at the lack of definition of the spikiness of my hair (more spikes than fauxhawk) I’m pretty sure it was during our first years of college. Man, that’s STILL a long ass time. [...]

THE CURIOUS J & SPECIAL DARK PERFORMING LIVE AT CLUB 720
Tuesday March 25, 2008
Just like they’ve done so many times before in Minneapolis, MN, Milwaukee, WI, Detroit, MI and Seattle, WA… the Dogglounge.com duo of The Curious J and Special Dark is coming at you live and direct – this time in their hometown and [...]

Flickr album here. On the day I flew in to Illinois, I hung out at Mark’s house for a bit with Rich and Brad (SEE I READ YOUR BLOGS), had dinner that Mark cooked – his blog post pending – and played a lil’ ol’ game called Carcassonne. Here’s yours truly deep in [...]