7.08.05 Gidget and John Jr.'s first day.

This is the first time I saw John Jr., less than 24 hours after he was born, bruised and scraped like a boxer gone 12 rounds. I'd be sleeping too.

7.07.05 Oooooh yeah.
Some guy with some dog.

I had this really cool picture of a lion at the Lincoln Park Zoo, but Penny convinced me to go with this shot instead. I'm glad she did. Looking back at the lion pic I see that it's a good shot: interesting subject, well framed, good color; but it looked like any of a million pictures taken at the zoo.

One motto I've adopted is, whenever possible go with the personal. While the lion pic would maybe make a decent postcard (and is evocative of what I did that day) this smiling dude and his smiling dog say "summer." It's July, and this dude and his dog are just chillinh' in the shade.

7.06.05 White Boat. Lincoln Park lagoon, noon.  

7.05.05 Billy Corgan Sold Out

Penny has helped me crystallize the process by which I daily decide which picture to post. The central question is ‘what will I want to remember in 20 years?’

When I look back at these pictures, the day-to-day nature of them, what memories will I want them to evoke? The two most obvious answers are time and place.

The answers I will want in 2025 will have to come from these pictures as much as (if not, in some ways, more than) my memories. These pictures will be portals (as will songs, smells, movies) to the days I am living now.
What was important in 2005? Was it hot or cold that day? Is that really what Wrigley Field looked like?

7.04.05 Fourth of July, Art Institute 

7.03.05 From 600 N. Michican, facing south 

7.02.05 Jill's New Place

7.01.05 Puppies sleeping 

6.30.05 CUBS PARKING 

6.29.05 Byron's 

6.28.05 Rick's Turkey Leg.

When we were in our 20s my younger brother and I would ride our bikes to the Taste of Chicago, give-or-take ten miles from our neighborhood to Grant Park. Starving, we would gorge ourselves on ribs, fried whatever and cheesecake. By the time we made the ride back home we were ready for dinner.

6.27.05 Dublin's Bar & Grill, 3:31 am.

To celebrate the end of their work week most people go out on Friday nights for a couple of drinks and bar food. My weekend begins around 2:00 am Monday night (technically Tuesday morning) when my shift at the bar ends.

6.26.05 Millenium Park, 92 degrees. 

6.25.05 Belmont L stop 

6.24.05 Chess pieces 

6.23.05 Men in White. Downtown Chicago, 12:34 pm.

Leaning over the rail at the Madison Brown Line station

6.22.05 Pablo at the bat 

6.21.05 Miller Park, Milwaukee. Cubs win 4-2

As an early birthday present Ed got for us two seats to the Cubs - Brewers game in Milwaukee. A perfect night for baseball with the dome open, the place packed with Cubs fans, D Lee going deep and the 4-2 victory.

6.20.05 Smile 

6.19.05 Father's Day