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Ode For the Ocean: My Shedd Aquarium Adventure
Residents of the deep ocean. Photo: Wikipedia There were fish, sharks, fish, strange plants, and 1.5 millions of gallons of water at the aquarium. In response to the Shedd, I’d like to post a poem I...
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Thieves.
“Beware pickpockets” sign. Image: Wikipedia Are you in the market for a bed? I’d love to sell you one. If you’re one of the two scam artists who tried to rob me this week, I’d love to poke you in the...
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Office Supplies Will Save Us All.
Office supply store, Poland. Photo: Wikipedia I’m under the weather. I’m body-achy, I’ve got heavy-head-on-necky, and my eyeballs are dry. I’m serious, they’re dry. I continually require drops. What...
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This One’s For You, Baby.
Unidentified man with unidentified object that is too cute to be human, puppy, or kitten. Photo: Me, carefully. My mom is in town for the lighting of the first (or “beta”) test of The Wabash Lights. We...
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Swinging From Metal Vines.
The 11 train, NYC Metro. Image: Wikipedia There was a time not so very long ago when I had moved to Washington, that I figured out a few slick subway train transfers within the Washington Metropolitan...
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“You Can’t Have Both.”
It was kinda like this place. Image: Wikipedia When I was new in Chicago — this is fifteen years ago, now — a friend of mine helped me get a job as a hostess at a downtown restaurant. The restaurant...
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Wellington On Smartphone.
コーちゃん、オーちゃんと Photo: Wikipedia Yesterday’s story about quitting a restaurant job in the name of making no money in the name of art reminded me of other tales, all from my early twenties. I did not sleep...
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Pigeons: It’s Us And Them.
Me, just hangin’ by a two-story Alexander Calder sculpture by the downtown Chicago post office. I have a picture of pigeons from the same day this picture was taken but I can’t bear to use it. Pigeons...
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Little Girl, Big Book.
She’s actually looking up at Grandma for a chocolate shake, but let’s say it’s a shelf of books. Photo: John Trainor, courtesy Wikipedia. My neighborhood is the South Loop (that’s the bottom of the...
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Lilly’s Big Day Out: Part 1
High tea. Lilly will not be having prosecco. Image: Wikipedia I’ve shared stories about PaperGirl readers doing beautiful work in the world, like making me monkeys and sending me candy pumpkins. And...
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Lilly’s Big Day Out: Part 2.
Just another day in the city. Photo: Me Last night, when I laid out the itinerary for Lilly’s Big Day Out, I said something funny. I said we would do our last scheduled activity, “if Lilly [wasn’t] too...
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Lilly’s Big Day Out, Part 3.
Lattes on the bus. Photo: Me Before I tell you more about Saturday, it’s very important that you know about Lilly’s best friend. Lilly’s best friend is Aubrey. Aubrey has this thing about purple cats....
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Food For Ze German.
German pastry, because there are no good pictures of weiner schnitzel. Photo: Wikipedia When you spend significant quality time with someone from another country — a country that lies on the other side...
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Open Letter to the CTA Regarding My Bus Trip Yesterday.
Chicago bus, 1976. Photo: Wikipedia To Whom It May Concern: I don’t write complaint letters often; life is full of annoyances and disappointments, too many to get terribly worked up about. But from...
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My Cigarette Boat Experience.
Except for the scuba gear and the fishing rack thing, it was like this, if indeed that is a cigarette boat. Photo: Wikipedia Claus announced he was going jogging and asked if I would go with him. I...
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Welcome To Draft Town: You’re Late.
I understand this man’s name is Ki’won T. Bates Jr. He seems to be very good at football. Photo: Wikipedia In the grand tradition of being embarrassingly out of the cultural loop, I bring you this. A...
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Man Yells At City, City Silent.
Kid hollering. Photo: Wikipedia If you like chilly, driving rain, strong winds, and a temperature hovering just over fifty degrees, you would have loved downtown Chicago today. I enjoy foul weather...
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We Don’t Wear Signs.
German stamp for social welfare, 1982. (I like the roses.) Image: Wikipedia. I leave Thursday morning. I’m going to California.* Claus will leave a couple hours after me on a flight to Berlin. Very...
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The AMC “Dine-In” Movie Theater: Goodbye, Cruel World.
A: Claus’s feet, my feet; B. pinot noir; C. popcorn bucket; D. lights that had to stay on low through the whole movie because the waiters have to see where they’re going; E. peanut butter M&M’s,...
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Chica de Papel!
“Spanish Woman” by Alexej von Jawlensky, 1911. Guess what?! I’m taking Spanish lessons this summer! Chica de Papel is “Papergirl” in Espanol! Truth be told, I kinda want to learn French more than...
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