Snapshot: Fabyan Windmill, July 2010, Geneva, IL

Let's bike up the lawn together and see the windmill!

Amazon Announces Kindle 3: $139. You In Yet?

Mayhem Festival 2010 Chicago Is Today!

Three Nights Of Bowling!

Wonderful time with two teen sons, including a sojourn to the pitiful Brookfield Zoo, plus Sanfratello's. Portillo's, Country House, Blackstone's (Yorkville), Aurora Outlet Mall, and three nights of games (batting cages, arcade) including bowling!  Fun! We had a fabulous week with the boys.

A Store Named "Puppies" In Lombard, IL

Gorgeous dogs behind glass.  Went with the kids.  Fun was had.  No pesky puppies purchased.

Summer Storms

Let's Power Kite!

Summer Rain Predicted, But Now: Hot, Humid!

Fantastic Night Out in Saint Charles, Illinois: Geneva's Second City

Cathy and I shared a memorable evening with David and Alexia.  We met up and drove over to Pub 222 in St. Charles for drinks and burgers.  The food, with homemade chips, salad and scrumptious burgers, with beer, wine and gin & tonic chasers (Cathy was our dutiful designated driver) gave us a chance to catch up on life, love, travel and summer fun.  Then it was back in the Denali for a scoot over to Noble Fool Theater, Pheasant Run, for the absolute smart-ass, side-slapping humor of Second City.  Frankly, most plays and movies—even the comedies—are good if they can have one serious gaffaw every fifteen minutes or so.  The Second City give a serious belly laugh about every 30 seconds!  The young people in the show—just five performers and five chairs—with some rehearsed skits and some improvisation, are tops.  About 500 in attendance, and I told Alexia  “Naw, they don’t call anyone up on stage”—well, out of the sell-out crowd, Alexia gets picked!  She improvised live with barbed wit, and even threw a football  repeatedly (albeit, her spiral was a tad wonky).

As Dave stated, so many laughs our faces hurt, literally.  I am thrilled that we could go, share the “internet funds” (Dave and Alexia know), and treat each other to such a fun evening.  Thank you Dave and Alexia; couldn’t have gone with nicer friends.  And greatly appreciate the chocolate sauce and note. 

Unicycles

I, like my brother, am a unicyclist. These kids on this video, however, show us how it's done, extreme style.

Geneva Art Fair, Geneva, IL

Geneva Arts Fair
July 24 - 25, 2010


We invite you to join us for a day of shopping at our juried outdoor gallery of fine art. Victorian homes-turned-businesses in the downtown historic district serve as a picturesque backdrop for the fine arts show. Voted “Best Craft or Art Show” by West Suburban Living magazine, the Geneva Arts Fair will showcase over 140 artists from around the country.

Art mediums include photography, pottery, fiber, printmaking, glass, mixed media, watercolor, oil/acrylic, wood, sculpture and jewelry.

Super Pogo Compilation

Family friend J. K. doing, not only some wild and wonky pogo sticking, but also some kick-ass video editing.  Enjoy.

I'm Just Sittin' Here Watchin' The Wheels Go Round And Round

Typical John Lennon. Simple words. Direct and insighful.  No longer riding on the "merry-go-ro-hound".  I just had to let it go. Saying so much in so few words.  Listen...

Stones Anybody Seen My Baby

These gentlemen remain amazingly cool. Check them out in this recent video, with sultry, serpentine song. Bravo! (click arrows lower right video to enlarge)

PS Yes, you're right. That is Angelina Jolie.

Kankakee River: Aroma Park To Momence, July 2007

http://www.paddling.net/places/showReport.html?1777

It's been three years since this very memorable paddle.  Life streams on, like the waters of the river, leaving no one standing still.  We grow older, and old memories fade, as new ones are created.

Here's looking back at a fabulous group of paddlers who joined up for this trip in 2007.

Geneva, Illinois Coming Alive At Dusk

A Classic: Amusement Ride Fat Kid

Gorgeous Day At Sunset Pool

I read, C tanned, and we spent all afternoon at the pool.  Sunny and hot, just what summer should be.

Youtube Search Travis Thrasher, And This Comes Up! Wowser!

A cliff jump nicknamed "Thrasher" on Lake Travis in Texas. No kidding. And to watch Courtney do it, well, all the better.

A Girl Rests In A Hammock By Her Bicycle

Travis Thrasher -- Solitary

I encourage my teen son to read. But I'll admit, when I hit the teen aisle in the bookstore, the novels are for chics. This one looks different. Solitary. Travis Thrasher.

Sunset Park Pool, Geneva, Illinois, Just After Opening

I had no idea Geneva even had a public pool.  A place to flaunt my aging body in the shallows, and dig sandcastles in the playground.

Rockstar Mayhem Festival In Two Weeks

Hard to beat the intensity of this show--the best all day concert I've ever attended. Swinging into a city near you, I'll be hanging my devil horns out with M and J in Chicagoland, baby. The third annual festival celebrating all things metal, with Rob Zombie, John 5, Joey Jordison, Korn, Lamb of God, 5 Finger Death Punch, 3 Inches Of Blood, and on and on. The energy is intoxicating. The motorcycle jumpers are courageous. The music is BROOOTAL!

The Geneva Bridge at Dusk

This f1.4 50mm prime "walking" lens that my brother encouraged me to get is fabulous.  The low-light situations are no longer an issue photographically.

A Covert View Of A Charming Home On Fourth Street, Geneva, IL

Unique Image: Keith Carter, Fireflies.

I spotted this image online from the author and book mentioned in my subject line.  I'm learning about photography, and find this image to very unique, particularly the coloring, and the subject matter takes a moment to comprehend.  A winning photo.

Yeah, I Remember The First Time I Got My Foot In The Spokes

Those Damned Cavern Beaters

I spent not one, but two, days this weekend in Duck Park, right alongside the pretty Batavia Illinois dam.  These are my point-and-shoot Fuji videos of the dam. Loved my time alone and with my super wife.

Then saw Cavern Beat, a Beatles cover band at Batavia's Windmill Festival that look like the Beatles, and they sounded "spot on". They were so funny between songs, too. (not my video below)





Here they are on stage at Batavia Windmill Fest, July 2010. Highly recommended, if you ever get a chance to see them. I would definitely see them again--they are so authentic in sound, I'd rather see the CBs than the Beatles themselves. Well, almost, anyway. My wife and I enjoyed this show...and I only wish I had my video camera (someone else did, as there's a 1:23 minute video on youtube of them at Batavia by americankid123435) to film a squirrely but enthusiastic guy--looked like a miniature Tim Burton in cut off T-shirt and shades--doing this really weird torso-twisting, up-on-toes "dancing", solo no less, at stage right for about ten songs. He was a gas, man! Love th CBs. New fan here.

I Feel The Hot Wind On My Shoulder....

Watch the iconic video here.

True history in this classic MTV video, Wall of VooDoo with Stan Ridgeway.  Back when music was fresher than the lettuce on a barbecued iguana taco.

P.S. I want one of those vibrating ball thingies on a cowbell!

How To Drop Off Your Ex-Girlfriend With A Motorcycle

7-Eleven, 2010

The Stunning Batavia, Illinois Dam

It was 85F today, and Cathy had six hours of Cottage Stamper scrapbooking, and I had a rare day completely to myself. My son is away. So, I took full advantage, with a Breezer bike ride to Batavia's Windmill Festival along the Fox River. Drank a couple of beers while watching Celtic dancers and a karate demonstration. Then it was biking to the Batavia Dam. Batavia's crown jewel, the dam is broken on its sides, adding a very loud and beautiful cascade on each end of the dam. Even the big turtles love to bask in the flow. I cannot include all of the neat things I did today--I biked up the steep lawn in front of the Fabyan Windmill, learned about the Challenger Windmill Company, napped in a hammock riverside, read e-books by the Fox River, and biked for many miles. When I finally picked up Cathy, we were both tired, but decided to hit the Premium Outlet Mall in North Aurora for a few more hours. It's nice to be alone, though, for periods of time.

Live!

The View Looking Down From Hoover Dam

Stones Miss Disco

Me, Lying On My Back On My Home Office Floor

The Rolling Stones: A Bigger Bang Review

My 2007 review of The Stones album, A Bigger Bang:


Diss Rolling Stones LP rocks! I tink diss is a retouin to da blews dat me and Paulie was waitin' fo. Da lead singa, da guy with da fat lips named Mik--prolly after a microphone dat he could et in 1 chomp-- howls like a hurt frog on dis LP. And Keef, dat is da guy wit da bad hare, has learnt to strum the g-tar -- at last. Da guy wit da nose who no one knows his name is funny lookin' so no one tinks bout him much. He don't write no songs no how. Da best is Charlie, da drummer, who bangs witout even a smile. He makes Ringo from da Beetles look like da monkey wit a helmut from da Naner Splits TV show. A rockin LP dat u oughta buy if u sees it on sale cheep.

Ducks On Doorways

Strolling along N. River Lane, I came across this pretty doorway near The Dam Pub, and lo and behold, in the second planter, was Mrs. Duck!

Flowers at RiverWalk

A super July weekend with my son, M, and I hitting Chicagoland. Saturday, shopped at Premium Outlet in Aurora for school clothes, and Saturday hit the Ribfest in Naperville for Blue Oyster Cult and plenty of sticky people. Ate at Portillo's, and Giordano's Naperville. Sunday, July, 5, and we are sleeping in.

Happy Independence Day 2010

Zena's Hand Made Glass Jewelry: Amazing!

Special gifts from a gifted artist and friend.

Taking Photos Is Fun

The passerby that asks you to take their picture is becoming less common.  Although almost everyone says "yes" if someone asks, "Hey, want me to take your picture together," fewer people will ask someone to take their photo first.  This may have to do with the complexity of modern cameras (almost everyone asks, "So which button do I push?").  It might have to do with people rushing here and there, and a hurried walk is the best way to avoid anyone asking for a favor.  But more than likely, given today's society where neighbors seldom speak over a fence and many simply shut their garage doors using the remote control the moment the rear bumper passes inside the safety sensor, it's just a matter of not wanting to interact with another human being.

The View From S. River Lane Looking To N. River Lane

Stones I See A Red Door And I Want To Paint It Black