Archives for April 2019

I've got a gang of Cleveland construction buddies that have a Monday song that goes:

I hate everybody.

Everybody hates me.

That's the way it is.

And that's the way I like it to be.

(On a Monday morning, here's Oscar the Grouch, and JT.)

In 1981, Chicago mayor Jane Byrne moved into the notorious Cabrini Green public housing complex in order to show … something. She wasn't there long—about three weeks—but she was there over Easter.

Her literal tone-deafness was in full bloom on this sunny Sunday as she tried to lead the people  in the singing of "Easter Parade."

And then, the Easter egg hunt she organized inspired her new "neighbors" to invent what is still my favorite protest chant of all time:

"We need jobs, not eggs! We need jobs, not eggs!"

And then things really went downhill ….

 

This and other wonders available at the MediaBurn archive, founded by my friend Tom Weinberg.

The other day I saw myself type, in a letter to my Aunt Joan, who doesn't do email:

Life is good in Chicago. Scout's a freshman at a huge high school, where she made varsity on the soccer team and has endless difficult schoolwork and a jam-packed social life. 

I'm working hard and traveling a lot: This year, mostly work but some pleasure trips have taken or will take me to Thailand, Australia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador and … wait for it … Botswana.

At the airport, I'm going to have to ask someone where that even is.

Cristie's busy too, and our fleeting days feel like nostalgic memories.

That's the sort of thing you write in a letter, but wouldn't in an email—speaking of nostalgic memories.