Dibs

As some of you may know, in Chicago we have an unofficial system of "dibs" whereby you can claim a parking spot as your own. This only goes in winter during times of snow. The idea is that you shovel out a spot and you get to keep it. To mark your territory you put something (usually some piece of garbage) in the street to hold your spot. Preferred items are buckets and mops or milk crate/two by four type combinations. Here the bucket or box or what-have-you is placed to one side of the spot and the longer item is laid longways with one end propped up by the first object. The effect is like junk sculpture. This year I have seen a lot of really sorry looking chairs and even a busted up kids kitchenette set.

Below are a few examples from my block in Logan Square.

The problem is lots of lazy idiots don't shovel the spot - they just throw some trash on top of some snow in the street. Additionally, by moving someones dibs you can expect to have your car keyed, tires slashed or worse.



In what may or may not be a related incident, a Honda Fit was stripped of all four of its wheels and left balancing on a milk crate last night a few blocks from my house. I was kicking myself for not having my camera, but it looked a lot like this picture to the right. Hahahahahaha. Sucks to get your wheels stolen in negative 10 degrees! That's hard core.
For all you Chicago transplants in LA right now! You know you miss this!

More Money

Here are two other pieces that I liked from the recent Arc Gallery show (see below). Unfortunately, I don't have the names of the artists who made these pieces, so I am listing them all below.


The above eagle is made of pennies.


Participating artists: ATYL, John Anderson, Stephen Barnwell, Pamela Calore, Timothy Campbell, Angela Cazel Jahn, Angeline Evans, Rachel Foster, Benjamin Funke, Juan Garcia, Eric J. Garcia, Urszula Gogol, Renee Haddad, Derek Haverland, Drew Huening, Anna Huffman, Daniel Hustwit, Jill Jeannides, Elizabeth Kauffman, Ryan McJunkin, Daniel Mellis, Geoffrey Owen Miller, Mary Min, Cheri Reif Naselli, Fabio Rodriguez, John O. Smith, Matt Sour, Mirjana Ugrinov, Donna J. Wan, Jennifer Weigel and Marjorie Woodruff.

Money, Money, Money

Currently, my dear friend Jill Jeannides is showing her piece Trading Games @ Arc Gallery Chicago.

Money, Money, Money runs through the end of the month.

Trading Games, (below) 32x42in, Screen Print on Canvas, 2007. "Trading Games is a screen print series I created from my experience and reflections working at the Chicago Board of Trade 30-year bond pit from 1994-97." - Jill

Year in Review - a little late

2008 was a crazy year.
but I guess I could say that every year....

Health:
I had ZERO trips to the ER which is down from the last two years. I had surgery on my thumb - some work on my kidney and of course a root canal. I am feeling pretty good and getting ready to be without insurance after June of this year.*
At left I am icing my side with some frozen veggies.

Clara was attacked by some dogs, but had a full recovery.

Tragedy:
The year started off with the tragic murder of John Granville. R.I.P.

Work:
Got laid off from my job in May followed by almost everyone else in December.

Travel:
Traveled to Europe with my sister, Amanda. The Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. Also, two trips to LA and one to Hawaii. I have been lucky enough to leave the country a lot the last few years. Vietnam, Kenya, Europe and a few trips to Hawaii.

Family:
My grandmother died. She was my last remaining grandparent. On a happier note we found out that my sister is having a baby, due in early July. My parents have both been healthy this year, that is a blessing.

Art:
I didn't have show this year! Hard to believe I let the time slip away like that. I was able to produce a 2009 Calendar and started a book project with my buddy Nick. Hopefully 09 is the year of the book deal.
Also, a huge success for 2008 was the beginning of my blog Just a Casual Observation with Jill.

* I am trying to find a nice Canadian Hockey player (nice looking, rich, tall) to marry and wisk me away to Canada and it's nationalized health care. Feel free to contact me if you know anyone that fits the description.
Thanks!
Cheers and Happy New Year!

Biggest Check I Ever Got

Chicago Breaks Records for Snow and Cold

Kids all over Chicago are going CRAZY! Chicago is breaking decades old records for snow AND cold. The below zero temps are canceling recess and driving exhausted teachers MAD all over the city. Just yesterday I saw a very bundled-up 5 year old begin to cry when the wind stared to blow. He was just walking from the family van to his front door.
-7º temp - yes, NEGATIVE!
-29º wind chill - again, NEGATIVE

Let this be your proof that the Mid-West is NOT Affected by Global Warming.

Even MORE Snow!

It's about to get super cold. At least we have snow to soften the blow.

Tug-of-War

So, I'm watching my parents dog, Lulu (on the left), while they are out of town. Her and Clara's favorite game is tug-of-war. Here they are destroying the rope toy.
Here they are destroying Big Mean Kitty.

Hahahahaha. They are keeping me entertained during this frigid winter weather.

Snow Day

It's been lightly snowing for two days now.
Right after I decided to not dig out my car and cancel any driving plans, this yahoo asked me to move my car so he could get his out.

I told him "No."

Best Day Ever

Me and Clara had an awesome day! We won our court case against the crazy a**holes whose dogs attacked us a few months ago. They had to pay our vet bills and over $500 in fines. Haha jerks! They paid me in cash Before I went to the MCA and I was able to buy two awesome books and a magazine! A gift for me AND Clara. We got Robert Polidori's Metropolis, the Holzer catalogue in hard cover, and the new issue of Giant Robot. Also, even though my feet are bruised to shit. It wasn't that painful to wear my snow boots!

Protect Protect

Jenny Holzer's show, Protect Protect at the MCA, is AWESOME. The installations are beautiful. My photos don't do them any justice. Of course, I have to shoot on the DL and got yelled at anyhow. I didn't get a shot of the best installation, in the north exhibition gallery on the main floor. The LDEs are large and lay on the floor running into the wall. <3<3




Click here to see my sweet hat by her.

Protect Me From What I Want

Snowy day at the MCA. This sculpture outside the building is called Big Spirits XL, by Thomas Schutte.
I saw Jenny Holzer's awesome show, Protect Protect.

Love Sale

I saw this take on Robert Indiana's LOVE (above) on my way to the MCA today. It was at a Cole Haan store.

Below is a LOVE plaque in the Netherlands that belongs to my friend Joop.

Late Night After Party

The only thing I know for sure about 2009 is More Plaid.
It was a 4 person party after 3:30. Me, Jason, Steven and Jess.

This is when Steven spilled a drink on me. I think that was the beginning of the end. Then it turned into a dance party. Then the boys launched full semi-frozen cans of Miller Lite off the porch and into the alley. Then we called it a night.

NYE Cont....

Jess threw an awesome party!



Even my sister was there!

Happy New Year 2009!

This is a "Before" and "After" of Jess' kitchen table on NYE. The clock in "Before" (at left) reads 8:52 and the clock in "After" reads 3:25.