Need Some New Wheels?

I was coming home through Amish Country in Central Illinois last weekend and came upon the Used Amish Buggy Lot. I didn't take a picture but after surfing the web, I found one on the website for the place: http://www.myamishheritage.com. The buggies are more expensive than I would have thought. In fact, some of them are more than what I've paid for some of my past cars! I don't think I'll trade in my Bug just yet, but now I know where to go if I need a good used buggy!

I'm PHinisheD!

According to my unofficial electronic university transcript, I graduate on August 19, 2006. I don't have any "hard-copy" documentation to support this, but I guess I'll trust it!

Summer Listening

In addition to reading books this summer, and a little so-called "work", I was introduced (or re-introduced) to some new (to me) music. I can think of several instances where I've become aware of some music through a seemingly chance encounter with a person, a performance, a kiosk in a music store, a radio playing in a store, or a too-loud ipod on the bus. None of these selections has a super-interesting story associated with my discovery, but they have been on summer play list.

Billy Elliot - the Musical (music by Elton John)
Carmina Burana (Carl Orff)
In Between Dreams (Jack Johnson)
Mass (Leonard Bernstein)
The Best of Peter, Paul, & Mary

Do you have any suggestions for music that I should consider for a future playlist?

Summer Reading

At the beginning of the summer I set aside 8 books to read - four "professional" books and four "leisure" reading. I read them all and one more (that I picked up cheap at a nearby bookstore)! I have several others I'd like to read, but do you have any suggestions? I'd like to read more of the "classics" and books that "everyone" knows about. For example, I've read books by Steinbeck, Faulkner, Hemingway, Erdrich, Twain, Orwell, etc. I'd like to read some by authors such as Tolstoy, Wharton, Stowe, Morrison, Austen, Hughes, Maguire, etc.

These are the "leisure" ones I've read in the past weeks; I won't bore you with the other titles. You can write to me if you care to know...

The Jungle (Upton Sinclair)
The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger)
The Souls of Black Folk (W.E.B. DuBois)
My Antonia (Willa Cather)
Dress Your Family in Corduroy & Denim (David Sedaris)

Chicago Eats

During the last two months I've eaten at many restaurants in the Windy City that I'd recommend to others. Many of them I've only eaten at once and I've found that I sometimes change my mind on a second visit. Nonetheless, you should try them for yourself. Or, if we're in Chicago at the same time, let me know and we'll dine together! There is a variety of styles in this list, but they have one thing in common - none is very expensive (you can get in and out of each for less than $10 most of the time, $15 tops). Here goes... alphabetically:

Bobtail Soda Fountain (2951 N Broadway/3425 N Southport)
Bongo Room (1152 S Wabash/1470 N Milwaukee)
Cereality (100 S Wacker)
Eleven City Diner (1112 S Wabash)
Hashbrowns (731 W Maxwell)
Joy's Noodles & Rice (3257 N Broadway)
Nookies Too (2112 N Halstad)
Orange (3231 N Clark/75 W Harrison)
Pasta Palazzo (1966 N Halstad)
Toast (746 W Webster/2046 N Damen)
Wow Bao (845 N Michigan)

Have I missed any of your favorites? Let me know!