Living the Gimmick For Tool Long

I've written about being a fan of Ric Flair in the past. The thing about Flair (and other successful wrestlers) is that they live their in-ring gimmick. In Flair's case the gimmick was that of the "jet-flying, limo-riding, kiss stealing Nature Boy: WOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

Gotta question why one needs to live that life as Flair nears 60. This shot was taken a day or two after Flair's daughter was arrested for assaulting a police officer. Charlotte cops were summoned to Flair's daughter's apartment to find Flair, his daughter and her boyfriend fighting. Judging from this shot, Flair is probably saying "You should see the other guy."

The Artsy Champagne Shot

Artsy Champagne Shot
Originally uploaded by bridgeportseasoning.

For the longest time, photography was one of the major weaknesses of the food and drink coverage at Chicagoist. A self-inflicted weakness, I might add.

Then I bought a good camera, Stolpman bought two good ones, Anthony made his own light box and Jacy just bought a Nikon D60. Food pr0n (or "porn") is now one of the beat's strengths.

This is an homage to some of Laura's better shots, taken at Jen and Ed's wedding last weekend. By now, most of my friends are accustomed to seeing me break out the camera for some shots of what we're eating.

Chris Puts In His Dinner teeth

Chris Puts in His Dinner teeth
Originally uploaded by bridgeportseasoning.

They work wonders with corn on the cob.

The Weekend

Finish Line
Originally uploaded by bridgeportseasoning.

Sadly, when this shot was taken I still had six miles to go to get home after the Boulevard Lakefront Tour. I figured I'd take the long way home and make it an even fifty.

Paying for it now, as well. I only got four hours of sleep the night before. My friends Jenny and Ed were married last night at the Cheney Mansion in Oak Park. Weddings, of course, bring together people you haven't seen in a while. I haven't seen one of my birthday twins since she moved to New Zealand to work for Peter Jackson. Middle Earth seems to be treating her well.

Additionally, a couple other friends are now expecting. Didn't hear from one on it formally, but I was allowed to feign surprise. Anyway, I'm beat.

Your Republican Nominee

And narrated by Ian McShane, no less.

I Was Wrong

When I said that Sarah Palin was "Dan Quayle with a vagina." The more that's discovered about her - the seccessionist party of which she was once a member; her outright lies about being a reformer and opposing the "Bridge to Nowhere;" her political pettiness; her demand to inject religion into her governing - the more Palin goes from "unqualified" to downright scary.

Which leads me to last night's speech. Never mind that McCain's handlers had to re-write it because they didn't want it sounding "masculine" (another indicator that they rashly picked Palin for the ticket) or that Palin paralleled her rise in politics to that of Harry S Truman.

What should frighten you is the way the GOP tried to place Obama's experience as a community organizer as a negative (we're also looking at you, Giuliani) when one of the strengths the McCain campaign touts about Palin is her work with her local PTA.

Isn't the PTA a community organization?

Anyway, I had to re-watch the speech online last night because I couldn't believe what I heard. I get the feeling that McCain chose "Ilsa, She-Wolf of the SS" as his running mate. Can't wait to hear how many times McCain uses the phrase "POW" tonight.

See You in April, Buck

Buckingham Fountain at Lollapalooza
Originally uploaded by bridgeportseasoning.

Hopefully with the full-on facelift complete.

Hood/Cooley '08

So I spent the Labor Day holiday running errands, going to manufactured street festivals in manufactured neighborhoods, eating scrapple at Ina's, gnashing my teeth while tolerating shopping at Target and Pete's Fresh Market, painting the home office a wonderful shade of sagebrush and hanging the newly framed posters. I don't update here as often as I'd like, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Then I get home, log online and read the day of stunning Sarah Palin disclosures. Way to vet her, McCain campaign. As it has throughout this long Presidential campaign, once again in the argument of Barack Obama's judgment versus the "experience" factor of his opponent, Obama's judgment wins out, as I pointed out to my friend Sue after brunch.

I'd jump for joy at all the revelations but I learned not to underestimate the half of the country that twice elected the Bush/Cheney ticket into office. As Erin pointed out in her twitter feed, the GOP will turn this into a positive.

They already are. Saturday night I'm on the train home from seeing Chaplin's "City Lights" at Bank of America cinema in Portage Park (an aside: I own the movie on DVD, but there's something about watching it in a crowded theater that's just magical.) and two guys are talking about the Palin choice. They were looking at a photo of the Alaska governor holding a rifle and hooting, "Boy, she don't let those titties get in the way of handling that gun, does she?"

Between that and the announcement that Palin's daughter "decided" to "have her baby and marry the child's father" (as though Bristol Palin really had a choice), one can't say that the GOP doesn't know their base. Only in America can someone go from beauty queen to sports anchor to VPCILF and future GRILF.

You Don't Have To Go To Florida To Ride Space Mountain

Man, I loved watching Ric Flair in his prime.