1,001 Chicago Afternoons

The Civics Room at Lane Tech High School was filling on Saturday morning, but it was filling from the back.

The weekend schoolers were shuffling in with notepads and folders, looking around and, one by one, heading toward the farthest spot from the woman who was about to step up to the mic to say “There are spaces up by the front” to the room full of professional educators, historians and me.

Even teachers don’t like to sit in the front row. » Read the rest of this entry «

My cousin in NOLA is posting pictures of her family at Mardi Gras.

That’s real Mardi Gras for real New Orleanians, not the drunken beads and boobs fest of many a college road trip movie. She, the husband and the two little kidlings all in costume (they went as the four elements) wandering the streets, watching floats and generally being genuine, full-time natives of their community.

Meanwhile, I missed Paczki Day. » Read the rest of this entry «

It’s cold. So I’m going in.

In isn’t just inside. It’s the 21st-century condition. “In” is in a room in an apartment, motionless, staring at a screen and occasionally thinking I thought something. » Read the rest of this entry «

Looking at my grading is making me sort of misty.

Only one student got an A. There were a couple A minuses, to be fair, but not many. It was a low A and that student worked her ass off all semester.

They must hate me. » Read the rest of this entry «

A splash of red in a glass as the rain drips softly outside the window. » Read the rest of this entry «

Yes, the minister explained to his suffering congregant in the Starbucks, God will let you get out of that holiday party you don’t want to go to. » Read the rest of this entry «

The barman offered ice, which was declined, then poured a pint of Irish cider.

He smiled and was thanked. He returned to the corner of the bar to continue his paperwork while the cider-drinker and an old man with a beard, four-footed cane and stories about the steel die forge watched SportsCenter.

SportsCenter made a joke about electing a sports president that day along with the real one.

“Today’s the election?” the old man piped up. “I thought it was the 20th.” » Read the rest of this entry «

The man in the urban-cool cabbie cap took the stage. He looked out on the crowd of hooting, howling drunks. And with a smile, he turned on the PowerPoint presentation. » Read the rest of this entry «

Look, look, see, see. See how the diners dine. » Read the rest of this entry «

Men play basketball across the park and children splash in the pool, but someone remembers Liza Whitacre. » Read the rest of this entry «