The Saddest Teddy Bear in the World!

I have no idea of the story behind this Ty/McDonald's cuddly bear,
but I envision all the gift recipients suddenly feeling the urge to
jump out a window or put a noose around their necks.
At least that's how I felt at Village Discount.
Happy New Year!

Krazy Komic Kollages- AND MORE!

Pal Ron Murphy has accumulated about 12 volumes,
each containing 100 8.5 by 11" pages,
of themed comic collages he's selected, cut out and pasted together.
Yes, he's half crazy, but a visual genius!
Enjoy as he posts them to Flickr (along with the most amazing array of vintage photos, erotic art, weird toys and his own equally crazy artwork)!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/82941244@N03/

You Won't Believe That Newest Singing Sensation is...!

Before they were famous, superstar singer/songwriters have posted their work online as teens, then a few years later when, say,  a Taylor Swift,  an Adele or a Katy Perry become billion hit single sellers, you get to smugly look back and say,
"I was hip* to that way back when…"
This is your chance to be there at the beginning!
Enjoy Kieran O'Connells songs by following the links below-
* or whatever the proper slang is nowadays
http://soundcloud.com/kieran-oconnell-3/cranberry-kisses/s-GCZOv
http://soundcloud.com/kieran-oconnell-3/you-cant-see-it/s-0YOmV
http://soundcloud.com/kieran-oconnell-3/flume/s-ngYkt
http://soundcloud.com/kieran-oconnell-3/sad-dream/s-hFabb
http://soundcloud.com/kieran-oconnell-3/goofin-with-millenna-when-im/s-fQatv

B-Fest! 24 hours straight of the BEST of the WORST movies!

B-Fest. Northwestern Universities annual 24 hours of bad movies event.
I've been attending this hallucinogenic hodgepodge of the horrible since year one, aka 1981. That means over 30 continuous years (well, one long day of those years) sitting on my rear end drifting in and out of sleep while films such as, "The Crawling Eye", "Invasion of the B Girls", "Corpse Grinders", "Robot Monster", "Troll 2", "Gymkata" and "Terror of Tiny Town" flicker before my bloodshot eyes. Mix in equal servings of Chuck Norris, William Shatner and Godzilla, add a dash of sleep depravation, the smell of midnight pizzas being delivered to hungry film lovers lining the floors in sleeping bags, a cup of impromptu continuous quips shouted at the already humorous silly cinema, a sprinkling of thousands of paper plates (no Chinet please) sailing in the auditorium air whenever one is spotted onscreen in "Plan 9 From Outer Space" and a side dish of 20 showings of the short, "The Wizard of Speed and Time" played forward, backward and upside down and you'll have just a small taste just of what it's all about. The goal? To stagger triumphantly out of the Norris Center at 6pm Saturday having nobly survived.
Geeky?
I know I'd be much more cool smoking in front of our local 7-11 those 24 hours, but, oh well!
My son will be doing the whole 6pm to 6pm this year (he's slept at home during the wee hours in the past) while Kieran will be joining us Saturday morning just in time for the breakfast break to watch the rest. Now that seemingly 6 food courts, 20 vending machines (and who knows what other easy livin' luxuries) have sprung up in the University hallways since the ancient barren beginning years, the kids always have something else to do if they haven't yet built up the tolerance their old man has.
And speaking of old... yes, I'm the only person that has attended every single year.
And yes, it is proper (and required) to salute if you cross my path this January 23rd and 24th!
Also, here are a selection of posters that I've done for the fest since '95 (I might be missing one or two), plus a great B-Fest video by pal (and fellow attendee) Brian Johnson!

The promo film!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CvmvfNDct0&feature=feedu

Art makes the BEST gift!

The gifts have been opened- and Santa has Alyson on his mind!
Superstar pin-up artist Kirsten Easthope painted one
of her famous mermaids, with spectacular results!http://www.queenpindeluxe.com/

 The greatest burlesque portrait artist of our time - nay - of ALL TIME,
Rod North, has captured the beauty of Mrs. O'Connell on canvas as no once else could!
https://www.facebook.com/rod.north

Something I've always wanted to do, find an actual Tijuana black velvet painter,
and commission a piece, and in this case, a masterpiece!
Artist "Felix" takes commissions through his representative
Cole Dane , so you can have one too!

The youngest of the artists, and my personal
favorite (no offense), Kieran O'Connell! 

Last Minute Christmas Cards...

RIP Chicago's Lincoln Resturant!–

The Lincoln Resturant. It's been around 50 years (vintage postcard above), but most famous for the first place Alyson and I first went out for dinner. Sadly, business has apparently dipped for the rich wood paneled, red leathered, cozy neighborhood eatery, and that means you have about a week left to take advantage of what a local restaurant should be. I frequently saw the big Lincoln head sign while driving down Lincoln Ave, but only a year ago actually paid attention when noticing the "Banjo Night Monday" poster in the window. I found that oddly humorous and intriguing and tried to entice the kids into going with me. They didn't instantly realize the appeal of "Banjo Night Monday," but time wore them down, and it soon became THE family favorite place for a sit down dinner.

Look for a Dennys, Applebees or TGIF's at 4010 North Lincoln soon.