Bold statement: This may be one of my favorite songs of ALL time.

First 4 seconds are fantastic. The way the piano tumbles in. I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend. 3 days! Use them well.

Here’s a sketch I did last night of this tiny Mom we see almost every day (sometimes twice) with her baby strapped to her like a tandem skydiver. And sometimes we see her gigantic husband. I’m not sure if she’d appreciate these drawings… I’ve been drawing a lot lately and it feels great

Let me just say that I do not take for granted my awesome job. Almost everyday I’m excited about what I’m doing. That’s priceless. Breakfast time! Going to skate a local indoor skate park tonight. I’ll be the one with full body pads working on my transition skating. (aka going back and forth between two mellow ramps.) : )

http://vimeo.com/2702078 — The password is polar.

Here’s a post I started wayyy earlier this year and just couldn’t find the words to fully express how shocking and invigorating and terrifying doing a polar plunge is.

Chicago, known for its soul-sucking weather, has a large lake with Titanic-sinking glaciers and killer winds that stab like ice picks. So…I decided that I must swim in it. On New Years Day 2009.

My weather widget read “Feels like 19.” The polar bear websites predicted 33 degree water.

I thought long and hard about doing this. I tried not to think about it at all. When I heard about it, I felt compelled to definitely do it. I announced it at work still a little unsure if I could do it. Even the night before, New Years night, the fear and doubt were creeping in. Will I have a heart attack? Puke? Get pneumonia or frostbite?

I managed to convince my work buddy Adam to do it too. Although my girlfriend was really concerned, I ate my usual PB and string cheese breakfast and started stuffing a duffel bag with towels and tons of clothes. I sipped a little coffee to “accelerate your heartrate, it might help.” Thanks doctor in residence friend.

So I did it. Once my clothes were off and I was running into the freezing water, the whole world got really quiet. Did I mention that I have always hated swimming in cold water? I’m always the last one in the pool. The one dipping toes in for half an hour before getting in. I lost my old black frame glasses in the lake. I forgot to take them off. Once I stripped down, I couldn’t be bothered with the details. It was just me vs. the lake.

In the weeks after my big swim, I’d remind myself “It’s not that cold today, I swam in the lake.” But that comparison doesn’t really hold up. When I emerged from full submersion (This is the rule. Crowds of onlookers will boo if you don’t get you head under.), I was heaving, unable to catch my breath and so afraid I’d pass out and no one would see me. I practically ran on the water to get back to the jagged icy shore. Standing soaking wet in the wind on the shore felt like summer compared to being in the water.

It was awesome, and I’m glad I did it. I really don’t know if I ever want to do it again, but I proudly shared this video at our Monday Morning Work meeting and boasted that this was our new office tradition. Kicking the year off in such an extreme way. It feels pretty good.

I’m so excited about Chicago’s art scene. Getting involved.

A free bucket at work + some black and white tape + my fondness for animated gifs = a 2 sided bucket.

My least favorite surface for creativity is a blank canvas. I like drawing on the paper foot mats that car mechanics lay down. And pushing balsamic vinegar around the edge of a plate with a fork. And then folding the paper napkin ring until the meal comes. I like the boards in the alley and the snow on the bushes.

Here’s a bit of snow outside the library near my work that I doodled with a skinny stick. Bits of snow were flying around me like Edward Scissorhands. The winter is beautiful and serene. I spent most of the weekend my sister visited sledding with her. An activity that we southern kids had never even dreamed of.

We sledded until we could hardly climb back up the hill exhausted from laughing. Our gloves were matted with frost.

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In keeping with the Mexican food theme, below I have pasted my recent plea to Moe’s Southwest Grill to reconsider its eradication of their Moo Moo Mr. Cow menu option. You get a little burrito, chips, a cookie and a drink for just under $5.

It has been weeks, and I still haven’t heard back from Moe’s customer service department. Pretty disappointing.

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Hi Moe’s, I’m frustrated with your restaurants and the way you’re handling your business.

While in college in Gainesville, FL I went to Moes ALL the time for the Moo Moo Mr. Cow. I’m worried that the Moo seems to be endangered. I am unable to attend Moe’s anymore since Chicago doesn’t have one, but when I encounter a Moe’s while traveling, I have been rebuffed with the same response “We don’t sell the Moo anymore.”

The way I see it, the Moo is your cash cow.

While I assume the Moo was originally conceived as your “kids meal” offering, it is just the right amount of food for almost any hungry adult (and more than enough for a child). The rest of your menu features football sized burritos that dwarf even the most pig-headed burger chain’s “Supersize Me” entrees.

A burrito. Chips. Cookie. And a drink. That’s all I ask. Charge more if you must. I understand the profit on that package is probably considerably less, but I was hooked. From the time I entered and you greeted me with a boisterous “Welcome to Moes” to the time I finished the last bite of chocolate chip cookie feeling pleasantly full - you earned your spot as my favorite fast food. Now I feel estranged and empty.

The Moo is your ageless Happy Meal. It is the total Moe’s experience wrapped up in a little bag. It isn’t daunting in size and laborious in consumption as your other burritos are but instead a delight to hop from each of the various tastes and textures.

Yes. I’ve given this some thought. I wouldn’t have if I didn’t care about your franchise and want you to succeed. Please reconsider your menu, know your fan base better, and free the Moo.

eBay Listing for Encased Burrito

One of my coworkers is ready to part with his beloved, plastic-encased burrito so I just wanted to blog this eBay treasure to drive up the bidding.

I have observed this brick and it is truly a treasure. The cheese is still orange. The black beans that overflowed from their tortilla captor are preserved in glorious flight. Think Damien Hurst for the fast food set.

Don’t let this recession slow your zeal for the truly rare and wonderful.

I’m pretty excited about my snow ghosts (carved out of mailbox snow) flying around the internet. My friends at worked have been photographing them and posting them to their Flickrs. Thanks Simon.

In other news, I joined the reading band of Mucca Pazza, Chicago’s bombastic marching band band. I played snare and other various percussive things this past Tuesday. SO FUN!

Stay warm.

Nothing says “restful night of sleep” like waking up to the sound of water spilling over and out of the toilet bowl creating a small wading pool in our hall, bathroom and the hall of the building.

It was a night of wringing out 40 pound towels full of toilet water and waking up every hour freaking out thinking “What’s that sound!?” You don’t realize the sounds your place makes until you’re worried that those sounds could be plotting a flood.

Here’s one of my illustrations for the Cirque show I’m working on.