blah blah blog

"Art Is Long, Life Is Short"

So far my favorite quote (I'm on page 4) of my new book "Art That Pays", is "...this is a great exercise to exorcise those hidden self-limiting beliefs - those shitbirds that sit on your shoulder and say, "You can't write, say, paint, sing, dance that shit.""

That chapter starts the book with "choosing the artist's life". I already knew that I had, but for twenty years I have come up against that "other life" several times and for years at a time. Never liked it. Don't like being broke all the time either, but for whatever reason(s) I have never succumbed completely to the "secure" life. How did that happen? I'm sure it is how I ended up in LA, no matter - this town is near complete in unsecure jobs. I am not alone. And I will write, say, photograph, paint that shit. But I'm still broke.

A Little Beauty For Your Day

Me, Blase' In The 70's

September 29, 1976
Saw Chris today. Woopie. Had a tennis meet against East. Won, 6-1. Ate at McDonald's. Went out with Lisa at nite. Went to the park after errands. Talked to Chris.

September 29, 1978
Had an assembly after school. Some people came over after. We were in the parade later. Wendi, Mary & Debbie ate dinner over then we went to Ron's then tried to go to the game. Sold out. Went to the party at Jefferson Courts.

Author's note:
I started being in parades in the seventh grade - it is no wonder I am not much of a fan of them. Still blase' after all these years...

Me, In Trouble In The 70's

September 27, 1978
Jon asked me to Homecoming. Gilmore started my day off to be rotten. Went to tennis practice later. Saw Julie today. Damn, I wish I was in Arizona!

September 28, 1978
Went to court. What a joke. Everything was dismissed. Had a meet in Barrington. Everybody lost. Went out to April's and to Golden Bear w/ all the girls. Lots of people got in trouble w/ the police again.

Author's note:
I think that was the night some revved-up-on-testosterone guys picked up my VW Beetle and moved it across the parking lot. I was not amused. I wish I still had that Beetle, though Illinois winters are not as kind to cars as California winters are - not to mention that I put that car sideways in a ditch once and another night a couple boys tipped it on its side during a jealous fit. It was quite askew after that one. I also remember that the heat never worked in winter, but you couldn't turn it off in the summer. Therefore there was often an inch - literally - of ice on the windshield, especially that winter of '78 -'79, and my passengers spent the rides scraping a hole for me to see through. Slip slidin' away.

Linkin R.I.P.

I have been taking deep breaths and sighing deeply all day. I have started another dog portrait today in memorium to Linkin, Carolyn & Ernie's Great Pyrenees who got hit by a car last night. He was great indeed and unbelievably beautiful. You couldn't find two more dedicated parents so I know they feel like they've lost a child. Alas, Linkin was an adventurer and liked to take a look around whenever possible. It's my biggest nightmare, living on a busy street and having a dog. So, to all who share that fear - make sure your gates are secure and your harnesses strong! I will never forget Linkin's excitement whenever Ernie dove into the pool or when a squirrel ran across the telephone wire. R.I.P., Stinkin' Linkin.

Round 2 In Hell

There's nothing like spending Yom Kippur watching a Jew play Jesus. Saturday's production of Hollywood Hellhouse was another great night in Hell. I love it so much I want to go back again and again. Part of the amusement is just watching people's faces as they come out of the tour and then into the "acceptance" party. My friends who took the tour last night thoroughly agree - Making Fun Of Fundamentalism is FUN!

*Jonathan Schmock as Demon Tour Guide & Danny Landsberg as school shooter

*Dave Thomas as Satan (my former boss didn't take his turn. Oh well, Dave was fun, eh?)

Rick Overton as Jesus & Tannis Vallely as a convert

Reveller selling the t-shirts

Hollywood Hellhouse runs every Saturday night through October and the four nights leading up to Halloween.

And Then I Woke Up

N: Did I dream that our neighbors came home at 3 AM?

D: No.

N: Well, it continued into my dreams then.

D: That's too bad.

N: They were kind of noisey. Did they lock themselves out?

D: I don't know. They were probably out drinking all night.

N: Till 3 o' clock?

D: Shit, how many nights were you out till 3 o' clock in your twenties?

N: Oh. Um, every?

Happy Yom Kippur

This week some of my photos of Hollywood Hellhouse appear in several Jewish publications including
The New York Times of Israel, Haaretz International. The article, by Ruth Andrew Ellenson, is titled Putting The Fun In Fundamentalism, and can also be seen at The Forward and in this weeks addition of THE JEWISH JOURNAL OF LA.

Ruth Andrew Ellison is also the author of the forthcoming anthology, "The Modern Jewish Girl's Guide To Guilt".

My photo credit is under "Nora Wood" which I think is pretty funny and I'm pretty sure I signed several of our correspodences with "Nora Murphy" but I understand the assumption because of my web address, etc. Maybe I'll make that my new nom de plum when I write "The Once Catholic Girl's Guide to Guilt."

Slippers, please!

Over at negroplease, Jason T. puts the kabosh on the latest shoe trend. ...

"And, finally, here's a fashion tip. Tiffany Brown mentioned the chinese slipper trend on her site yesterday and I'm here to tell you -- I hate them. Ladies, much like the awful ugg boot, they just aren't cute. It makes whatever pants you're wearing them with look like they are pajama pants and that you just walked out in your house slippers. Your feet look like they are trapped behind chicken wire and it drives me crazy watching your feet always appearing precariously close to flying out of your shoe. Maybe they are comfortable, I don't know. I just know I hate them. Trend over. Put them away."

So glad I didn't get the Ugg Boots I thought I wanted there for a moment. Although, Kate Hudson and Naomi Watts sure did look cute and warm in theirs on the set of Le Divorce on the freezing France day that I was there. That really should be the only place they belong, aside from the slopes, is on the set.

Me In The Simple 70's

September 23, 1976
Mickey Mouse Day (Spirit Week)
Went to tennis practice from 3-5:30. Got my flowers. Went to band from 6:30 to 9. Went over to Debbie's until 10. Went to TP the school. Had a lot of fun. Stayed over at Debbie's with Robin.

September 23, 1977
Nominated for Homecoming Att. Went to practice for an hour. Gail's and my picture was in the paper for beating East. Went to work. Went to the end of the game then to Bodor's party w/ Jimmy and Fitz.

September 23, 1978
Didn't do much all day but errands and clean the bathroom. Went to the YES concert with Debbie. It was fantastic! Stopped at Fatty's for about five minutes.

Author's note:
YES - in the round! I remember that one. However, I don't ever remember myself being nominated for Homecoming attendent. Maybe I just meant that the school held nominations that day. The fact is, I never went to one Homecoming dance or Prom. I did go to turnabouts, however. Yeah - the women's right to choose!

Mentality Schmality

Yesterday I saw a breakdown for a movie or a television show, I don't remember which, that described a character as "a family man with a Toluca Lake mentality". I laughed first then wrinkled my brow. What does that mean? I couldn't wrap my head around it.

Toluca Lake is a neighborhood of Burbank that is rather well off, but still has a home town feel. It has a main drag with the oldest remaining Big Boy that has a classic car rally every Friday night frequented by goateed, tattooed clad hipsters. There is no grocery store or chain drug store except a Trader Joe's. There is an Irish Pub on the main drag and several retaurants of all ethnicities. There is a Starbucks, a Coffee Bean and a privately owned coffee shop that is crazy busy at all hours of the day and night - all within a half mile of one another. The residential area flanks one of the ritzier golf clubs in Los Angeles and in the center of it all is Bob Hope's estate that has its own three holes of golf on it. Eric McCormick lives in the hood. "Newman" from Seinfeld lives in the hood.

My former (and likely future) boss lives in Toluca Lake. He bought a house there this year and has been a member of the golf club for many. Whatever the Toluca Lake mentality is - he doesn't have it. He has been imposed upon from the day he moved in and is now of course relishing the fact. His neighbors hate that he has his Mexican workers sitting in the driveway after a long day of work drinking beer. They hate that he leaves his garage door open, lit, with all his tools for God to see. They hate that he parks his classic GMC truck on the street and that it doesn't have a muffler. They hate that he lets his dog rip up his toys all over the front lawn. In the beginning, the puppy got loose on a daily basis and ran all over the neighborhood, and boy did they hate that. One of them sent their ten year old kid over with a baseball bat to tell them to keep their dog inside. It is also likely that the neighbors have called the cops on them for no reason (on the guise that there was a burglary in progress) just to intimidate them. Of course this all just inspires my friend to perpetuate the cycle.

So is that the "Toluca Lake Mentality"? To "love" thy neigbor? The funny thing is, when I walk my dog through that neighborhood, every single person says hello to me and we talk about the dogs and everbody smiles. I love Toluca Lake. If I could, I'd take the shackiest of shacks there. The location in terms of access to everything LA is great. It smells good. Its beautiful. You can walk to places, or ride your bike. You can wave to Deloras Hope even though you'll never see her.

I know what a Silverlake, or West Hollywood or Venice mentality is, to pick a few. I still don't know exactly what a Toluca Lake mentality is, though I know I wouldn't submit my tattooed, swearing, drinking, sitcom writing boss on that breakdown.

Oh yeah. PS - he'll be playing Satan this weekend in the Hollywood production of HELLHOUSE.

Keeping Sex Alive

Vote For Carrie!

Two And A Half Decades Later

I have one last word to say in regards to the rambling email I got from a girl named Sandi that I never knew. I figure that for people who are not prone to ignorance (which is bliss after all), and I don’t think Sandi is – it is more difficult to forget than it is to forgive. I admit its been that way for me – always kind of a forgive but never forget kind of girl. After all, creativity must come from somewhere for artists, writers, songwriters, etc.

Personally most of my demons were generated from my twenties rather than my teens, although there was plenty of awkwardness then also. Nonetheless, not a whole lot of blame on others, just myself.

I’ll never forget watching FULL HOUSE one night (I admit it – I’m certain it was in reruns and I was sick on the couch, but maybe not) when Bob Freakin’ Saget was giving one of the daughters a pep talk. No doubt she had probably been terrorized by a group of friends or a boy. He said, “Don’t worry, honey. It gets easier.”

No it f’in doesn’t! What the Hell are you lying to her for? That was just a warm-up! It pissed me off and that was probably when TV started going downhill for me.

Except last night – TWO AND A HALF MEN was a highlight of my day. I couldn’t believe that after a week of promos showing that Sean Penn and Elvis Costello were going to be on, that they didn’t mention that Harry Dean Stanton was on also. Three of my favorites. And believe me, I know Harry – that was real scotch they were drinking. Harry Dean Stanton is not going to show up on a set that portrays a cigar smoking, scotch drinking scene and not have the real thing in the bottle. I guess I’m easily amused. And thank goodness for that, otherwise I might be writing hateful letters to people I may or may not have known thirty years ago.

Pimpin' In North Hollywood

Diamond in the back, sunroof top, diggin' the scene with a ganster lean, ooh, hooh
Is this the latest trend in auto detailing? They really need some Sprewells to top it off, don't ya think?....

20% Amnesia

Today I played Elvis Costello's album "BRUTAL YOUTH" in honor of the email I received in response to my recent reunion-weekend photos. For now I can only say that we all have our demons and some of us really want some people to know it.........

Hello Nora,
 
Thanks for the link  to the photos, but I couldn't get it to work, so I went to your
"Slum Dance [URL]" [what an interesting link address; elusive, and perhaps a tinge of back-handed humor intended to joust over the heads of people; you know, question the intelligence of the masses AKA classes.
 
At any rate, I checked out the pics. To be perfectly honest, I recognized but a few people, and most of those were simply people that I was aquainted with in high school. I am not sure aquaintace accurately defines, "passing by in the hall," anyway, I'm sure you understand what I am saying. 
 
Those were the students that didn't give a great majority of their class, the time of day, outside of the dirty look and the rude remarks now and then.
 
I never understood, the concept, or the mindset required to make fun of someone. It just wasn't and isn't acceptable behavior.  Perhaps those kinds of values were remiss to some of the students who liked to tease some of the poorer kids about their clothes, hair, car, or family background.
 
My belief was then and is now that "class" is self-defined by our behavior towards our fellow man. To be rude, places one in that of a lower class; regardless of income.
 
In high school, I observed the tennis club, cheer-leading squad and what most of the students at West as "over-bearing clicks." So many of these [clicks] students bordered on or were homely, and yet, believed they were lovely, talented, and entitled: kind of George Bushish?? HA LOL I do admire their confidence. It was quaint. Annoying at times, but quite quaint.
 
Most of us "simple kids" were raised with decent values, and I think a lot of the "clicks" could have benefited from associating with us now and then. We could have taught them quite a few values that would have assisted them during difficult times, or just in becoming decent human beings as they grew older.
 
I felt sorry for most of the click chics; with their braces, bad hair cuts, and cheesey 70's polyester: clones, that's what they were,what a shame. Individuality was so under appreciated. How sad.  I honestly do not think that some of those girls and boys realized that while they were viewing themselves as "superior" and to be "esteemed," a great majority of students just saw them as pathetic.
 
Let me clarify that this is and never was a jealousy issue. It is a long over due call to the ignorance on the part of the "clickish" students who excluded talented and likeable individuals from participating in school activities. It's a shame that those controlling little groups over-rated themselves, and elected to berate others.
 
I was fortunately, raised with confidence, and though I have no high school memories per-say; I don't mind at all. The rest of my life, and achievements have far exceeded anything that West Aurora could ever have given to me.
 
 
Don't get me wrong, I believe that bad things do happen to good people, and good things happen to bad people, [obvioulsy, look at Laura Bush, she's made it to first lady!]  So, I'm sure some of these pompus little assholes [excuse my language] found their successes-despite being less than desirable human beings. "God Bless Them Everyone!"
 
On an artistic level, I would like to compliment you:
 
Within your slide show is an interesting element that was captured. I, as a creative individual appreciate it very much.
 
Your photos display the continued, pretentious, interactions, of people whom I wonder if even like themselves, much less honestly like one another.  How amusing! It's almost a Saturday Night Live episode waiting to happen.
 
I got a huge kick  out of the wide-hipped, basically matronly women of only 43 or so, in their little capri pants; sporting their typical Republican attire. Heaven forbid if they didn't offer the illusion of the good little Stepford's; un-allowed to display the misery of trying to get "all-dolled up" for the evening. LOL!
 
I could see them in my head, trying to decide what to wear and just "exactly what the term casual attire meant to this situation."  Then I saw them in the tanning-beds [cancer cages] getting that perfect "radiating glow" in preparation for the event. I think someone told me once that "tanned fat is much easier to look at..?"
Then again, over-tannned and too thin can make one resemble a cheap hand-bag.
 
A few of the men, couldn't hide their distates, and that REALLY brought a smile to my face!
 
Oh well, I'm sure you all had much to catch up about, and plenty of "great times to
discuss, and accomplishments to share." I hope it went well.
 
I had actually considered attending, and taking my camera and capturing a few moments, and then creating a website dedicated to these lovely folks!
 
Truthfully, I got a fantastic chuckle-an actual satisfaction, [shame on me] when I saw how  haggard and out of shape some of these folks have grown to be. I certainly hope their wallets, bank accounts, homes, and household items, compensate for what they lack otherwise. Those adornments are most likely essential to their existence; Without them, they might just lose their confidence. Now, wouldn't that be a shame?
 
Some of us have aged a bit more gracefully than others. 
 
It is interesting to note in these photos the excellent example of karma in action: there were more than a few people in those photos, who once possessed extremely pompus demeanors and a pitifully, disillusioned, over-confidence during their teen years, appeared to be good looking and some, to their credit were, but now, oh my, who ever took the pics, captured the karmic reflections of youth gone to "shit in middle age."  
 
The faces of girls [now ladies] and guys [now men] of the once trite and basically cruel, self-proclaimed beauties and jocks, have now fallen prey to the true intentions of their hearts: mild to moderate obesity, pre-mature aging, "saddle bags," "spare-tires,"  and smiles that seem contrived. What excudes from the majority of the slide show, is something that I have to not to remind myself to
not take joy in observing.
 
As for myself, I'm successful in my own rights, by my own standards, have made my share of mistakes in life, but all in all, life has been kind.  I'm not obese, I lead a highly creative and interestin life-style that is rewarding in several manners. I've got two beautiful sons, and a husband who has won a Grammy. I guess I
can't complain.  Not bad for an 'invisible girl that people used to make fun of.."
Oh, and if I must say so myself, I grew up to be much better looking than 90% of the bitches who deemed themselves superior.
 
I'd love for them to try to squeeze a ham into a pair of my pants.... HA!
 
Okay, now that is out of my system. I couldn't end without at least one caddy remark.
 
Feel free to come back with something "well-put" and "well-thought out,"
I just love it when pseudo hippies AKA closet Republicans attempt to be witty.
I find it highly entertaining.
 
Please take no offense. You see, I don't really remember you either; except for how
cruel you could be to other girls now and then--I wasn't one of them, but if you had been, I would have just thought of you as pathetic too.
 
Oh, however, Lisa Meister [spelling, was a very kind person as were a few others, such a Patty Kuhn].   
 
Take Care, and I hope you do well with your art.
 
Personally, your "re-uninion photos" have inspired me to write a song. Perhaps once it's cut, I'll send you a copy, no charge, with a credit to "The Clicks Of West Aurora High 1979!"  
 
Smiles,
 
Sandi 
 
PS: I am not attempting to be offensive; I merely did not appreciate the manner
in which the majority of your friends treated a large percentage of the students.
I think that those actions screwed with a lot of delicate minds. Yes, we are all responsible for over-coming such experiences and bettering ourselves, but teen-agers are fragile, and I wonder how many of them were damaged for life, or even took their lives, based upon the cruelity and exclusion of the so-called school elite?
 
Personally, speaking as an honors student [college] who has seen many successes,
I can say that the benign experience of West Aurora High, didn't do anything
to avert me from becoming happy in my life.
 
Also, I'm sure some of the bitches who thought they were so superior, grew up
to eat shit loads of humble pie that landed straight on their asses and perhaps
they have had a change of heart and are now, good, kind, decent people.
 
******************************************************************

(&^$&%@#????????)
Feel free to comment.....

Dog Art

Now that "Jackie" has been delivered, I can post the painting of the rambunctious little Jack Russell.

Untitled Print On Screen

There have been a dozen thoughts I thought to blog about today but I couldn't commit to any of them.

Purple

The latest painting from my "In Bloom" series...Purple Flower, 24 X 28

NFL Opening Day

So much football and not one of my teams won. Including Lleyton Hewitt. What a crusher. I succeeded in turning four guys away from turning the channel from the US Open to the Dodgers game. I admit, I was the only one watching, but the fourth guy says, as he's attempting the switch, "You're watching tennis? This is a football bar." Which doesn't make sense first of all since he wanted to change it to baseball, but I wanted to say, "Hey, it's called "Sportsman's Lodge", not "Football Lodge"."

Some Other Favorite Pics

FROM THE KANE COUNTY FLEA MARKET

(Worth every penny of its $45 pricetag)

We were a second too late for this find, but he'll look better in it at his keg parties than I would walking the dog. And only five bucks.

9/11

Wishing my friend Barbara a happy birthday and thinking of those fallen and their families on this September 11. And hoping for a win for Kerry in November...

Reunion Photos

You can get to most of the reunion (drunken Midwesterners) photos from this gallery on My Buzznet:

What I Did On My Summer Vacation, Part III

Cont'd from Part I and Part II

* On Monday, I drove Wendi to the airport and got back just in time for Margaret and Billy’s fish fry. My brother-in-law is the master fryer. Family and a few friends enjoyed a recap of the reunion over more beers and some Southern Illinois fish.

* The nieces went back to their respective colleges and I was in bed by nine. I read the love letters that Wendi had saved me from the box – several from a tennis playing boy from Mexico City who I suspect is probably now gay, and a few letters from me to Tony that I never sent. She had thankfully tossed every single note from junior high catty gals.

* On Tuesday I drove into Chicago. Strolled around the new Millennium Park with the magnificent Gehry designed band shell and the wonderful steel Cloud public art sculpture. I’ve never seen the masses revel at sculpture as they did with the interactive Cloud.

Made me kind of weepy to think of the architectural and cultural differences between Chicago and LA. Even if I were a first timer to Chicago, I would think it has to be one of the greatest cities on the planet.

The second largest city in Illinois, however… Aurora, as Wendi says, is only forty miles away from Chicago but it might as well be eighty. It hasn’t changed one iota from thirty years ago except for the miles and miles of tract homes, the miles of chain stores and the hideous riverboat casino.

* Had lunch at the bar at the Park Grill, which turns into the ice rink in winter. Duck tacos – delicious. Got hit on by an older fella from Florida. Tried to turn him off by bashing Bush but he still wanted to buy me a drink. I declined and walked over to the Art Institute – free on Tuesdays! Strolled some of the permanent collection and viewed three photography exhibits.

* Walked down to State Street, that great street and went into Marshall Fields. Mannequins and displays for miles – oye! Gave me the heebie-jeebies. Got my bottle of Marshall Fields water and got out of there.

* Drove to the airport and turned in the car. When checking in on the ticketless machine I realized my flight left an hour earlier than I thought it did. I had just enough time to make it. I’m glad I screwed that up however, otherwise I would’ve cut my day in the city shorter. Then again, if I had missed my plane I could’ve called my brother and met him at Wrigley for a night game. C'est la vie.

* All in all a very entertaining weekend. And THAT'S what I did on my summer vacation.

What I Did On My Summer Vacation, Part II

Cont'd from Part I:

* Drank a much needed diet Red Bull on the way to Bliss Creek. Took the box of Norabilia to my 25 year High School Reunion. While I set up for the party, Wendi and Mary went through all the girly notes and letters from the box. I instructed them to edit for me. I entrusted them to toss as much as possible before giving a pile back to me. I knew they would enjoy it, it was too much for me to think about.

* Set up a table with the yearbooks, high school junk from the box and the three yarmulkes. Also hung up the two Pink Floyd posters and the Captain Fantastic poster found in the box.

* Our 25 year High School Reunion commenced at 6PM. We gave away 2 drink vouchers per entry, raffle tickets, special reunion beer coozies and tattoos. A hundred people showed up. Most of them I liked. Some of them I like better now than I did in high school. Some of them I like less. The Big Tuna made sure that Wendi and I always had a beer in hand but disappeared sometime well before Last Call.

* Couldn’t hear the music. The seven hours of tunes that I obsessed over for a month got drowned out by a hundred nasally Midwesterners getting drunk. Couldn’t hear the raffle calls either. Started out on a karaoke machine mic and switched to a megaphone – still couldn’t hear them. Eventually had to pull the plug on it, but not before the hopeful future mayor gave away 50-dollar checks from his “For Mayor” funds. What, no t-shirts?

* All three original owners of the yarmulkes showed up! And if I do say so myself, the personalized beanies were the nostalgia hit of the evening. All three of them proclaimed that their mothers didn’t even have one and wondered why the hell I’d kept them. Well, for that moment, apparently! None of them wanted them back. Maybe I’ll make art out of them some day.

(Covering my bases)

* Special note: Two of the three bar mitzvah'd are cancer survivors. One from brain, one from lymphoma. Both have been free and clear for several years now, knock on wood. PS – the lymphoma survivor is a plastic surgeon, ladies (and gentlemen, perhaps) and he grew up to resemble his dad who was always a looker.

* Another special note, that still cracks me up:
The brother of one of the bar mitzvah boys didn’t remember making out with me! Ya know, back when we were playing spin-the-bottle and things like that. Are you kidding me? Pick a place – his basement, the Furgal’s basement, the tennis club? He had a mouth full of braces! Harrumph. He probably only remembers kissing the older girls. Of course now he’s a dentist, drilling and filling those girls’ kids. Well, he whispered a sweet something in my ear on his way out, kissed me and I thought, yup. Wet – just like I remembered it thirty years ago!

* A special note that just amuses me. The prom queen asked me if my art was “paint by numbers”. Thankfully I had David Mamet singing in my head so I just smirked and looked for the Tuna to buy me another beer.

* My 21-year-old niece came to the party and got drunk (thanks, Leo) with us instead of being our designated driver. We had to call in the other niece and their mother to come get us. Oops. Couldn’t drink another drop. Had a great time. Everyone else seemed to have a great time. It was a proper Midwest beer-laced hootenanny.

To be continued…..

Me. Hatin' Aurora In The 70's

September 8, 1976
Chris finally saw me and said "Hi". Fitz said he was going to tell Chris to ask me to Homecoming. Got my band uniform. Went to tennis practice then band. David H. called me and asked me to Homecoming. What am I going to do?!

September 8, 1978
Went to get my car fixed after school. Debbie came. Went out with Deb, Lisa, Steve V. & his friend and got busted in Montgomery. Shit I hate living here.

What I Did On My Summer Vacation, Part I

I traveled on Friday, September 3 to go back to Aurora, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago for fun and frolic with old friends and family. What follows is an account of the weekend, in parts - for it was a long and liquid one.

* My flight was early, early, early. Upon arrival I met a couple of friends - one flying in from Cincinnati, one from Florida, for beers at Harry Carey's Bar in the Midway Airport terminal.

* Had dinner at Elmer’s Dog House Friday night – Friday Night Fish Fry! Was looking for one guy – the owner of Elmer’s, but saw another guy we hadn’t seen in over 25 years – a friend of ex-boyfriend Tony.

* Met up with the old gal pals at Ach ‘n Lou’s pizza joint for a couple beers. This was the start of something fluid and unfettered.

* Headed over to Walter Payton’s Roundhouse for several more beers and a ridiculous U2 tribute band and dancing with the bride of the hour, not to mention scaring away “Bono”.

* Got a Pilsner hangover – it feels like an anvil in your head and shag carpeting in your sinuses.

* Went to the Kane County Flea Market in 90 degree heat and 90% humidity. Bought an old hood ornament, a Busch Beer jacket (in size small!) and an apple tart made by French nuns from a nearby Abbey. Lost the rental car in the parking lot for a good 15 minutes while melting.

* Had a beer at the Shore Club, formally known as LTD’s, formally known as THE place to go. Nobody was there. Found out later that it’s almost closed and all the regulars have moved on.

* Had a decent steak dinner at The Landing. Fox Bend Golf Club’s bar/restaurant. Took the night off beers and started with a Midwestern sized Kettle One and Tonic.

* Hooked up with my older brother, “the Commish” at one of the old haunts, The Office. The bartender had to fetch their Kettle One from Storage. Not a lot of demand.

* Had a conversation with a girl from the old neighborhood about the families and the old hood. She was one of seven, I was one of six. Our bus stop was her driveway. She lives in the same subdivision now with her family in a house that was then owned by a known swinger. Wendi told her to look under the rugs for some coke (she was the swinging couple’s babysitter.) I asked if any of her siblings – the other six – had moved away. She replied yes, one of them moved to Hinkley, one to Yorkville – two towns just adjacent to Aurora. Her brother, my classmate, is running for Mayor in ’05. They are deeply rooted.

* Couldn’t leave town without visiting Stoney’s, the local dive bar. Nobody was there. Apparently Friday is the big night with the kids from AU – Saturday it was just local mopher yokels. At least there was Absolut on the shelf, but like I said – the best brown liquor you are going to get there is Jack Daniels. Wendi observed that “white people drink there and black people come for package.”

* Got back to my sister’s house and found that my brother-in-law ate a third of the tart. In the morning found that he had eaten another piece to make it a half a tart. Learned that if there is a pie in the house, unmarked, he’s going to eat it. Lesson learned.

* Sunday took the half a tart to my parent’s home for brunch. Mom made a green salad with blueberry’s and strawberries. And two frittatas – one veggie and one Bavarian ham & goat cheddar. Always going to get the best meal at the parental units.

* Was informed that there was one more box of Norabilia in the garage and maybe I would like to do something about it. No better timing. The box contained two yearbooks, a mood ring, four more ancient calendars, and two large envelopes stuffed with love letters, school girl-passed notes, high school memorabilia and three yarmulkes!

To Be Continued……..

Also - check out my buzznet over the next week because they only let me upload ten pictures a day...

Bill Maher On Conan

Before I forget, and my travels get in the way of blogging -

Bill Maher will be apprearing on Late Night With Conan O'Brien, sharing some of my photos of him and Andy Richter - otherwise known as Satan and Jesus repectively.
Wednesday, September 8, NBC

Me In The 70's

September 2. 1976
School was fun today and I got out early for my physical. Yuch. Saw Julie at the clinic. Went to tennis. There was an assembly tonight for the fall sports teams. Saw Chris there.

September 2, 1977
Patty and Debbie picked me up from school. Went to practice then to work. Nan, Jodee, Patty & Debbie picked me up. Stayed at Brenny's.

September 2, 1978
Debbie called this morning to tell me how much everyone likes me nowadays. I hate this fuckin' town. Went out with Wendi and Mary. Took Wendi to Fatty's then to Tony's.

Author's note:
Well, here's some timing. I leave tomorrow to go back to that fuckin' town for my high school reunion. I admit, I wanted to leave that place more than anything, but I like it. It's a place frozen in time - Mike Myers wasn't too far off when he placed Wayne's World there. It's easier to appreciate from afar and for short visits and aside from all those growing pains and lack of culture, I love that the local saloon's top shelf liquor is Jack Daniels and every Friday night there's a fish fry.

My boyfriend thinks wouldn't it be cool if you got off the plane and it was like a twilight episode and you were back in time and you find that it wasn't as important as you thought it was? Of course I have questions - So, it's 1979 again? Yeah. And I'm eighteen again or I'm me now? 18. But in my head I'm me now so I know I'm back in time? Yeah. What if I was back in time and I find it was even MORE important than I think it was? I suppose that could happen too but it would be cooler the other way.

Harumph! I'm Nora from Aurora, dammit. I'm me now and I'm going back.

I Write The Songs, I Right The Songs

I am soon embarking on an eventful weekend of nostalgia and future memories. I travel back to Aurora, Illinois (Party on, Wayne) for my high school class reunion. I can safely say that I was unsafely bamboozled into being a coordinator of this event.

One of my tasks - that should have been just a task - was putting together the music. It's become a slight obsession. My biggest peeve with events like this usually ends up being the music. (One of the last weddings we went to, the DJ didn't know who Beck was.)

Our last reunion was planned by hired professionals and they provided a website for choosing tunes that the DJ would play at your particular party. I volunteered to pour over their catalog and painstakingly chose an extensive play list. Which was promptly ignored the night of the reunion. I even approached the vacant DJ about it and he just shrugged at me.

I didn't want to go through that again. Gratefully, we chose a place that has a five-disc CD changer that pipes through the bar and the outside patio (otherwise known as a beer garden in that neck of the woods.) So I am burning five discs which turns out to be about 7 hours of tunage. Too much, but I can't be too safe.

I had rules. I was there in the 70's, and at the time I enjoyed some Foreigner and Journey. Paid to see them. Can't do it now. The sound of them now makes my finger hit the button faster than you can say, "don't stop believin".

I got several suggestions for 70's artists to include in this play list. A few of them were victims to my other rule. Little to no anthem bands. Gotta keep the party movin'! So, the only anthem tunes that made my list are The Doors - LA Woman, Pink Floyd - Money, and a token Ted Nugent. I get that one out of the way farely quickly.

I also couldn't restrict the list to 70's music only. How can you throw a party these days without a little Outkast...Black Eyed Peas...Vines...White Stripes...? You can't let it sound completely like Classic Rock Radio. But you have to please the masses also. (Which I realize is impossible, especialy since I got involved with this here event.)

So, the following list incudes just some of, but a good idea of what's being represented from "That 70's Decade" - give or take a few years:

Elvis Costello
Led Zeppelin
The Clash
Blondie
Steely Dan
Tom Petty
Rolling Stones
T Rex
Alice Cooper
The Who
Sweet
Gary Wright
The Police
Kool & the Gang
Aerosmith
Sly & the Family Stone
The James Gang
Isley Bros.
Ohio Players
Supertramp
Curtis Mayfield
War
Alan Parsons
Alex Chilton

So much music, so little time. Is it over yet?