Chicago Snapshots

— Alex and I hunched over the computer, listening to lecture tapes of L. Ron Hubbard (LOONY TUNES!!!), agog, gasping at one another at his craziness, rewinding to listen to particularly insane parts. Add this into the mix: Alex’s eye got all messed up, from stage makeup and bright lights, so she needs to wear an eyepatch periodically. A big black eye patch. So there we are, hunched over the computer, gasping at how insane Hubbard was … but … uhm … Alex looked pretty damn crazy herself. But I got used to it so quickly, and would promptly forget that I was talking to an eyepatched pirate diva. We would be 15 minutes into some conversation before it would occur to me: “Uhm … Pirate? Or …”

— I bought amazing new clogs. I mean, honestly. They are the cutest mod-est things ever. I love them. They are FURRY and they have a cowhide pattern to them. Love love love them.

— I have gone running every day. Even on the stickiest days when the air was like soup. It feels good.

— Dinner at Kate and Tim’s. Guy and Sean joined us later. It was so great! The reunion of the wedding party! We sat on the back porch, a nice mild night, we drank wine, talked, laughed, told stories. Sean is now in a production of Henry V and regaled us with many tales of backstage hilarity. It was so good to be with them all again. A nicer (and funnier) group of people you won’t ever meet. Much much laughter. There was a moment when a dog turned into a starfish, and that is all I’m saying. I also cannot get the image of Guy singing with dry mouth out of my mind. His face!!

— Met up for breakfast with Kate at one of our favorite old breakfast joints. It has expanded exponentially, amazing, but they still have the same old fruit and granola smorgasborg thing that I loved once upon a time. A wonderful morning with my dear dear friend. I never get enough of her. You know? She’s the best.

— Something happened on the porch between Alex and I that defies description. We laughed so hard that the next day it felt as though I had done a 45 minute ab workout. I am not kidding. It would not stop, and … no matter how hard we tried to move on … we could. not. stop. Alex had to walk off down the stairs a bit … I could hear her gasping and wheezing from behind me … Suffice it to say, it was about Xenu. I wish I could describe the moment. But … I just can’t.

— I have been forced to do imitations of the barking hopping lady for pretty much everybody. “Oh my God, please demonstrate what happened. WHAT???”

— A ton of funny memories coming up – they always do when I come back here. I’ll write some of them down later.