DAY THIRTY: Not The Way The Cookie Crumbles During Bears Week

DAY THIRTY: not the way the cookie crumbles during Bears week
Originally uploaded by displaced365.

I'm a huge fan of Starbucks sugar cookies. They always have an interesting seasonal theme. I'm a big fan of their blue frosted snowflake cookies. Their Christmas tree cookies were great too. Of course they all taste pretty much the same since it's just food coloring.

They really topped themselves this time, however, with their Bears themed cookie. Blue and orange are the Bears colors for those who aren't fans of American rules football.

The only thing that I didn't like about this cookie was the fact that my camera refused to focus on it. I think that my camera is far sighted since it hates close-ups. I actually took 48 photos of this cookie just to get three that I wasn't embarassed to post on flickr.

But I think it still likes yummy even in photo form.

NOTE: January 30, 2007 post to Photo 365, Project 365!, and Project 365

DAY TWENTY NINE: Bears Fever Appears All Over People's Faces

DAY TWENTY NINE: Bears fever appears all over people's faces
Originally uploaded by displaced365.

This isn't a photo of my dad's office in the 1970s, it's actually my office today.

See, a few of the bigger Bears fans at work have decided to grow Ditka moustaches in honor of the Bears' first trip to the Super Bowl in 20 years. This is my friend Jason who has accomplished the task somewhat.

And no, I'm not over my "I don't really care about the Bears" phase (probably will never be) but I couldn't help but try to make a set of Bears related photos the entire week leading up to the Super Bowl.

NOTE: January 29, 2007 post to Photo 365, Project 365!, and Project 365

DAY TWENTY SIX: Hopefully More In Focus Than The One Who Drank It

DAY TWENTY SIX: hopefully more in focus than the one who drank it
Originally uploaded by displaced365.

I was just explaining to my friend Jennifer yesterday how I wasn't taking photos of people nearly as much as I used to since this year, due to the challenge, I'm trying to take artsy photos on inanimate objects.

This reached new levels this morning as I passed a beer bottle on the way to work sitting in Logan Square Park and had to stop and take photos of it. I did hold it to about a half-a-dozen since I had to get to work.

This was my experiment with focus of the beer bottle.

I'm wondering if this is how the person who left it in the park saw the bench. I was out yesterday night but I was driven home so I promise this is not my beer bottle.

NOTE: January 26, 2007 post to Photo 365, Project 365!, and Project 365

DAY SEVENTEEN: All I Can Think About Is Winter

DAY SEVENTEEN: all I can think about is winter
Originally uploaded by displaced365.

Sorry if the last three days have been pretty depressing. With the sudden cold snap in Chicago, I haven't been overly keen to stand outside looking for something beautiful (and my indoor skills are still, I should put it this way, developing) so I take what's readily available.

And in the case of Chicago right now, that's winter things - in a lot of abundance.

I just thought these icicles hanging off the Logan Square blue line stop were interesting looking. They looked sort of flourescent in the light provided by the station.

NOTE: January 17, 2007 post to Photo 365, Project 365!, and Project 365

DAY SIXTEEN: What Happens When Good Batteries Go Bad

DAY SIXTEEN: what happens when good batteries go bad
Originally uploaded by displaced365.

Not the best way to start the second half of January, I admit.

I had planned to take photos of Logan Square Park on the way home from work tonight with its nice sky at dusk. Unfortunately, I got out of work late and I lost the light.

Undaunted, I began to shoot in the park anyhow. And that was when the little red light went on. I was able to take a grand total of three photos before the bane of everyone's existance, "battery exhausted" showed up on the camera.

Too tired to run to the Walgreen's (which would probably make a better subject than this), I'm just posting this one. The closest place to work to buy new batteries is Union Station so maybe some good will come out of this disaster.

NOTE: January 16, 2007 post to Photo 365, Project 365!, and Project 365

DAY TWENTY FIVE: The Next Best Thing To A Window Office

DAY TWENTY FIVE: the next best thing to a window office
Originally uploaded by displaced365.

This is the view from my boss' office. He was out at a training session today and so I was able to sneak in and take a few pictures of his view (all offices at my place of employment are window offices, there just aren't a lot of offices). This is the water tower on top of an apartment building on Jefferson Street.

The building is close enough across the street to be able to capture pretty intricate detail without a lot of zoom. At least if the details aren't too small.

There were actually some more interesting pictures of people in orange jumpsuits walking around the scaffolding of the tower. Unfortunately even the super stealthy spy zoom on my camera was not enough to get the detail on their faces.

Maybe the next time my boss is out, I'll be able to try again.

NOTE: January 25, 2007 post to Photo 365, Project 365!, and Project 365

DAY TWENTY FOUR: A Suprising Coincidence About To Get Mailed Away

DAY TWENTY FOUR: a suprising coincidence about to get mailed away
Originally uploaded by displaced365.

There are certain advantages to being inside of a major city's borders. One thing is that Peapod delivers groceries right to my door (but only when I want them to) and another is that Netflix has a one day turnaround time on most movies as they have a huge warehouse right in Chicago.

Being as this is the case, I rarely get movies from anywhere else. Occasionally one will come from headquarters if it's particularly obscure and on rarely one will come from a smaller city.

So it's purely random that a mid-level release like last year's "The Last Kiss" wouldn't come from Chicago. The randomness is increased to head scratching, "that's awesome," levels when the movie gets shipped from Madison, Wisconsin - which is where the movie is set.

I just had to get a picture of that even though this makes two days in a row I took pictures of things on my futon (the black background seems to work).

NOTE: January 24, 2007 post to Photo 365, Project 365!, and Project 365

DAY FIFTEEN: A Fresh Taste Of The Black And White Stuff

DAY FIFTEEN: a fresh taste of the black and white stuff
Originally uploaded by displaced365.

I should have known better than to make fun of the fact that Chicago got almost no snow during the winter weather warnings over the weekend. Sure enough, when I woke up this morning, the snow was falling.

This is a bench in Logan Square Park at the start of the day. I should have done a time elapsed photograph of the same bench since by the afternoon, you could barely see the wood.

It snowed through the entire work day today which was truly a depressing site to see out the window of the office closest to my cube. Especially since today was a holiday and all and I shouldn't have been at work anyhow.

NOTE: January 15, 2007 post to Photo 365, Project 365!, and Project 365

DAY TWENTY TWO: The Betting Slip To Avoid The Antacid

DAY TWENTY TWO: the betting slip to avoid the antacid
Originally uploaded by displaced365.

There are really only two choices in my gambling life - winning and antacid. I swear that when I'm losing, it's not the loss of money that causes me pain so much as the fact that I bite my finger nails to the quick and shake like I'm fiending for something.

Luckily yesterday this wasn't a problem as I won $22.00 on the Indianapolis Colts win. I don't bet gridiron football anymore since I'm just terrible at it but I placed this bet when I was in Las Vegas back in October.

Should Indianapolis win the Super Bowl in two weeks, there's another $60.00 where that came from. Well, sort of, there's $60.00 on the internet.

I'm almost sad to send this slip back to Las Vegas since it was such a nice and unexpected win.

NOTE: January 22, 2007 post to Photo 365, Project 365!, and Project 365

DAY TWENTY THREE: The Mystical Day 23 Of 2007 Is Here

DAY TWENTY THREE: the mystical day 23 of 2007 is here
Originally uploaded by displaced365.

It's been quite some time since I read the "Illuminatus Trilogy" With the recent death of Robert Anton Wilson, however, I decided to pick up another of his books.

I hadn't planned on reading his other trilogy since I'm trying to read 25 books this year (or maybe I should just try to read 23) but all Borders had when I went there on Sunday was "Shrodinger's Cat." So I set off to read it today. I hadn't intentionally done this but it just works.

For those who know the Illuminati mythology, number 23 is the most powerful number in the world. Wilson actually goes over a couple of pages on how 23 has been important throughout history in the trilogy.

And this mythology is about to be important again as there's a Jim Carrey drama coming out on the subject later this year.

But that's in the future and this is only the 23rd day of the year. Hope it was meaningful for everybody.

NOTE: January 23, 2007 post to Photo 365, Project 365!, and Project 365

DAY TWENTY ONE: A Rainbow Of Oatmeal For "Breakfast"

DAY TWENTY ONE: a rainbow of oatmeal for "breakfast"
Originally uploaded by displaced365.

I don't eat breakfast so this week's "Through The Eyes Of Many" was a challenge. Though I realized late on that I sometimes eat breakfast food all day long.

As I ate a late lunch (does 4:00 p.m. even count as lunch anymore), I ate "dinner" at 10:45 p.m. or so. To confuse matters even more I ate a breakfast food - oatmeal.

To say making oatmeal interesting is difficult could be an understatement but I hope this angle at least does something.

NOTE: January 21, 2007 post to Project 365

DAY TWENTY ONE: I Didn't Avoid The Bears Completely

DAY TWENTY ONE: I didn't avoid the Bears completely
Originally uploaded by displaced365.

In order to avoid the Bears game that was seemingly everywhere today, I went shopping in Lakeview East. I needed to go to Borders anyhow. And for the most part the area around Clark and Diversey was a Bears free zone.

But there was one bar on Broadway just north of Diversey that was completely Bears centric. It's odd how few bars in Chicago are flying Bears flags (I'm sure that's going to change for the next two weeks now that they're in the Super Bowl) but this one was flying three.

After this, I managed to avoid the game although I was curious enough to turn it on the sattelite radio a couple of times as I was driving around.

NOTE: January 21, 2007 post to Project 365!

DAY TWENTY ONE: This Might As Well Have Been Watching The Super Bowl

DAY TWENTY ONE: this might as well have been watching the Super Bowl
Originally uploaded by displaced365.

There's been a lot of talk about some gridiron football game that's taking place today in Chicago to decide who goes to the title game.

Well I'm not going to watch it since I'm sick of hearing about the Bears. But I did watch another game where someone could have clinched a title this morning (or at least put themselves three wins ahead of second place).

Today I was one of the biggest Manchester United fans on the planet because had they beaten Arsenal.

And it looked really good until Arsenal score two goals in 10 minutes out of the last 20 and ended up winning 2-1. This picture is of Thierry Henry celebrating on my television as I threw things at a failure to knock the blue scum out of title contention.

NOTE: January 21, 2007 post to Photo 365

DAY FOURTEEN: Already Out The Door For Monday Morning

DAY FOURTEEN: already out the door for Monday morning
Originally uploaded by displaced365.

I'm not that big on Sunday night since it means tomorrow is off to work again. I try to concentrate on the evening but I can't get much done with work looming just on the other side of the night.

Basically my shoes are out the door.

I know it's a stretched metaphor but I had to figure out how to do a piece with shoes for the Project 365 theme of the week and I waited until the last minute.

NOTE: January 14, 2007 post to Project 365

DAY FOURTEEN: Green Light Means The Bears Go Through

DAY FOURTEEN: green light means the Bears go through
Originally uploaded by displaced365.

There was an episode of "Alias" after the Super Bowl a few years ago where the opening scene consisted of Jennifer Garner in a different set of lingerie depending on who won the game.

I kind of based this photo on this.

After I worked a few hours during the first three quarters of today's NFC Conference Semi-Final between the Chicago Bears and Seattle Seahawks, I decide to cross over downtown and go a bit south to as close to Soldier Field as I could get.

Turns out this was Indiana Avenue and 17th Street near a tailgating lot where I stood outside in the cold to catch a few photos of the stadium (not like it looked any different if there was no one in there from the distance I was at).

I also took a photo of the light after it turned red (which looked a bit better) but thankfully for my friends who are Bears fans (I could care less either way) I didn't have to post that today.

NOTE: January 14, 2007 post to Photo 365 and Project 365!

DAY THIRTEEN: Writing By The Light Of A Crayon

DAY THIRTEEN: writing by the light of a crayon
Originally uploaded by displaced365.

I have a huge fear that I don't like to talk about a lot. I'm deathly afraid of ladders. I'm not afraid of heights so much as I get vertigo when I try to climb a ladder.

The reason that I'm forced to face this fear right now is that the light in my bedroom burned out yesterday morning as I attempted to turn in on before leaving for work. Today I was supposed to go out and buy new light bulbs all day but I waited until this evening to do so.

And if there's one thing I'm more afraid of than climbing ladders, it's climbing ladders in the dark. So tonight the only light in my bedroom is this crayon shaped lava lamp.

Yesterday night I attempted to write a LiveJournal entry in complete darkness. Tonight I'm just going to write one in the front room. Or I guess I could just move a lamp in there. A full sized one I mean.

NOTE: January 13, 2007 post to Photo 365, Project 365!, and Project 365

DAY TWELVE: The Weather Is Hell In A Handbasket

DAY TWELVE: the weather is hell in a handbasket
Originally uploaded by displaced365.

For the Bears game on Sunday, the weather is supposed to be a "wintry mix." It's kind of sad to say this but I'm almost looking forward to snow. I'm sure this will break as soon as the first flakes start to fall but for now I'm sick of rain.

It was bad enough it rained the whole time between Christmas and New Year's but now it's making a return performance. Water, water, everywhere and all of it disgustingly dirty.

The photo itself is a picture of a bicycle locked up underneath the California station on the blue line. I just took a picture of it because of its basket but the pavement is nice and wet - just like most of Chicago tonight.

NOTE: January 12, 2007 post to Photo 365, Project 365!, and Project 365

DAY ELEVEN: The End Of The Sea Of Orange At Work

DAY ELEVEN: the end of the sea of orange at work
Originally uploaded by displaced365.

The stacks of moving crates by the front desk at work.

This photo sort of represents metaphorically how I've felt the last two days at work. I only used four of these - but they were a heavy four. And they ended up costing me far more time on the phone today than I really could handle. The phone actually rang over 20 times while I was moving those bins and setting up my desk yesterday.

I don't know why I found these crates fascinating when I saw them but I just did. Hopefully at least someone will agree.

NOTE: January 11, 2007 post to Project 365! and Project 365

DAY ELEVEN: Hopefully He's As Golden For MLS As He Is In This Photo

DAY ELEVEN: hopefully he's as golden for MLS as he is in this photo
Originally uploaded by displaced365.

I don't have a sneak peak of the cover of the next ESPN The Magazine. This is actually a cover from August 15, 2005 back when the David Beckham to L.A. Galaxy rumors first started when his last contract with Real Madrid almost broke down.

Except at that time it was reported that MetroStars (New York City's team) were also interested. They're now Red Bull New York after being bought out by the Swiss energy drink last summer (in case the terminology gets mixed up).

Now it's official. David Beckham will be coming to the United States to play for the Galaxy and will be the highest paid player on the entire planet.

Not sure he's entirely worth it (maybe five years ago) and I've never been a huge Beckham fan (I hate Manchester United and the stench of Red Devil did not leave him when he went to Real Madrid) but I hope this is good for MLS as I am a big Chicago Fire (and a smaller New England Revolution) fan.

Time will tell. Hopefully this won't be his last cover.

By the way, I also have the cover with DaMarcus Beasley but that's not nearly as newsworthy. :)

NOTE: January 11, 2007 post to Photo 365

DAY TEN: A Splash Of Blue That Will Continue On

DAY TEN: a splash of blue that will continue on
Originally uploaded by displaced365.

Even though I'm moving desks at work, the one thing that's staying the same is the way I walk to work. Each morning I pass the Sears Tower. So much that I tend to just ignore it while other people stare upwards.

But when I saw the clouds this morning (even though I was running late) like this behind the United States' tallest building, I just had to stop and take out my camera. This may be the perfect time of year for morning and evening sky for the skyscrapers of Chicago.

NOTE: January 10, 2007 post to Project 365!

DAY TEN: A Last Splash Of Orange From My Old Window

DAY TEN: a last splash of orange from my old window
Originally uploaded by displaced365.

Today was the last day that I sat in a seat with a western view (and with a window). I once thought that I might take a picture of the administration building of the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) which I could always see out my window. Now that I'm moving that's not going to happen (especially since me and the woman who is taking my seat don't get along) so this may be the only shot I take.

I was just lucky that today was a nice, cloudy sunset (and that I got out of work before 6:00 p.m. for one).

NOTE: January 10, 2007 post to Photo 365 and Project 365

DAY NINE: I'm Just Saying Is All

DAY NINE: I'm just saying is all
Originally uploaded by displaced365.

This is one of the worst photos that I've ever taken but I just had to remind the world that at the turn of this decade there was a certain national title game between a Big Ten team and Florida and that Big Ten team won pretty convincingly.

Seriously though, congratulation to Florida for making history and being the first team ever to hold the NCAA football and NCAA basketball titles simultanously.

NOTE: January 9, 2007 post to Photo 365

DAY NINE: The Last Day Of The Horrible Mess At My Desk, Maybe

DAY NINE: the last day of the horrible mess at my desk, maybe
Originally uploaded by displaced365.

Tomorrow is actually my last full day at my current desk. I'm not leaving my job or even switching job titles, just switching desks. There was a restructure at my office a couple of months ago (and at that point I did switch jobs) and now about 90% of the people in the office are moving.

Being a pack rat, I tend to save a lot of things. Being a toy collector, I like to display them. However, my files outstripped my display space and a Jocelyn Thibault boblblehead and two Red Sox Green Monster beanbag toy ended up on the floor.

I stayed late at work (really late) to pack all of that stuff away into my backpack so my floor not longer looks like that. But in memory of how my desk looked, here is the photo.

NOTE: January 9, 2007 post to Project 365! and Project 365

DAY SIX: These Signs Are Pretty Hard To Miss And I Don't

DAY SIX: these signs are pretty hard to miss and I don't
Originally uploaded by displaced365.

Late last year I got a parking ticket. To which I'm sure many people are saying "big deal." But there is a relation to this photo in that ticket.

The city of Chicago is required, by statute, to post when there will be no parking for street cleaning 72 hours in advance. The exception to this is when there's winter weather in which case snow removal parking regulations can go into effect instantly.

Well when I got a ticket back in November there was no winter weather and there was no orange sign.

They're pretty hard to miss as is evident by this photo and when I parked the night before at 10:45 p.m. there was no sign (and I parked right in front of a tree where they tend to tie these signs). When I got home from work seven hours later, there was a ticket.

I should send the city of Chicago this photo to show I am aware of no parking signs and don't park by them. Instead, I'll just post this and stew. :)

Though to be fair, with my Michigan plates, I haven't bought a Chicago sticker which would be $75.00 so I guess I guess it all evens out.

NOTE: January 6, 2007 post to Photo 365, Project 365!, and Project 365

DAY EIGHT: Downtown By Modern Candlelight

DAY EIGHT: downtown by modern candlelight
Originally uploaded by displaced365.

The Damen stop on blue line (the one of the north side because there's also one on the south side) is my favorite stop to take photos at in all of Chicago. And since I skipped lunch at work today (again!) I had to stop at the Flash Taco under this stop (else I could have passed out), I took some photos from it.

What is great about the stop beyond anything is the fact that it stares right at downtown and especially the Sears Tower.

It's like the ultimate tourist photographer stop. Or, well, people who are trying to complete 365 photos in a year.

NOTE: January 8, 2007 post to Project 365

DAY EIGHT: Circle Gets The Square Er Rectangle

DAY EIGHT: circle gets the square er rectangle
Originally uploaded by displaced365.

As I was leaning down to put my camera away after taking some pictures of downtown at the Damen stop on the blue line, I noticed that the pattern of the shelter was kind of interesting (to me at least) so I took a picture of it.

I didn't even see on the viewfinder that through the circular cuts, you could some of the other metalwork of the stop.

NOTE: January 8, 2007 post to Project 365!

DAY EIGHT: Caught Red Handed In Black And White

DAY EIGHT: caught red handed in black and white
Originally uploaded by displaced365.

On my incendiarymind account on flickr, I'm the member of a group called "Stolen Clicks" which is all about taking photos where you're not allowed to. I'm kind of frustrated because I love to take out of bounds photos but I haven't been able to find any.

Turns out that every picture that I've taken in Chicago's El tunnels, in fact, qualifies - a fact that I never knew.

Until today.

I didn't even plan on taking photos in the Clinton blue line stop by my work until it took forever for the train to arrive. I took out my camera and took this shot since the last couple days, this angle of looking at this sign has interested me. I had the exposure set entirely wrong from an experiment in long exposure I was doing at the laundromat so I had the camera up for 3" (I was amazed this shot came out).

When I put it down, I heard a voice say, "are you taking pictures?" I turn and it was a CTA rent-a-cop. I just nodded and she said, "you're not allowed to take pictures here." I said, "sorry," and put the camera away.

I figured there was no point in telling her I had taken dozens of photos on CTA property before without incident.

NOTE: January 8, 2007 post to Photo 365

DAY SEVEN: This Whole City Thing Is For The Birds

DAY SEVEN: this whole city thing is for the birds
Originally uploaded by displaced365.

As I walked outside to go to the laundromat today, I discovered something I don't usually see - a pigeon sitting right on the roof of my car. It was actually quite docile and almost seemed like it was interested in getting its photo taken.

I took 40 photos of this thing before it finally flew off the car and into a tree. I just kept getting closer and closer and all that it would do was look at me and look away. It was really hard to catch it looking forward since it was pretty much guessing when it would turn when it was looking away.

NOTE: January 7, 2007 post to Project 365!

DAY SEVEN: Killing Some Time Being Reflective At The Laundromat

DAY SEVEN: killing some time being reflective at the laundromat
Originally uploaded by displaced365.

Almost every Sunday I go to the laundromat and every Sunday I sit in my car and listen to sattelite radio. Though since I'm doing the 365 day photo challenge I decided to bring my camera inside while the clothes were drying.

If I had the guts to take photos of people in a closed environment where I can't just walk away down the street when it was over, I would have done that. What I discovered tonight while really looking around that people do fascinating things in laudromats (or at least there are some interesting poses).

Since I don't have the guts, I just played around with reflections in the dryer. I've seen other people do this so it's hardly original but a 365 day challenge is partially about trying new things and I rarely ever take self portraits.

NOTE: January 7, 2007 post to Photo 365

DAY SEVEN: A Display Of Real Cattitude

DAY SEVEN: a display of real cattitude
Originally uploaded by displaced365.

Another photo of my roommate's cat Sarge in front of my laundry hamper, this time expressing his usual, "better than you" attitude.

Other people may have models with attitude but this one can't throw a temper tantrum. Though he just hops off the bed and leave the room and I can't take his photo anymore. He was actually quite still today. Usually he sees the camera out and leaves pre-emptively. He can't be trained to do anything in a slightly pavlovian manner except for that.

NOTE: January 7, 2007 post to Project 365

DAY FIVE: You Can See Where The Rock Is Falling

DAY FIVE: you can see where the rock is falling
Originally uploaded by displaced365.

Like many subway systems around the country (and the world), the Chicago El doesn't change its advertisers very much.

Often times, the poster for a movie stays in the subway for longer than the movie stays in a theater. Sometimes, such as in the case of "The Last Kiss" it stayed completely through its theater run and all the way through the DVD release (and maybe this was intentional).

This poster is for "Gridiron Gang" (which is actually a decent movie except for The Rock's performance). It wasn't one of those posters that was left up. In fact, it looks like it was just left. Left on the tracks when the work crew switched the poster out.

I guess this isn't that surprising. What's surprising is that it's been on the tracks for multiple days without anyone bothering to remove it.

NOTE: January 5, 2007 post to Photo 365, Project 365!, and Project 365

DAY FOUR: Beware Of The Attack Phone

DAY FOUR: beware of the attack phone
Originally uploaded by displaced365.

At the end of last year, I took a new job at my workplace (not by choice, I wanted to get a severence package and get laid off when my old job ceased to exist) that involved being on the phone a lot more.

With my old job, my phone cord got pretty tangled up from lack of use and now whenever I pick up the phone, the whole apparatus flies at me.

Here's a nice closeup of the tangled mess which seems pretty appropriate as my day revolved around the phone.

NOTE: January 4, 2007 post to Project 365!

DAY FOUR: The Phone Wasn't Part Of Lunch, It Just Prevented It

DAY FOUR: the phone wasn't part of lunch, it just prevented it
Originally uploaded by displaced365.

Today was my first day back at work for the new year and it actually ended up worse than most of the days in the old year in one certain way - call volume.

In my job, I answer the phone quite a bit. It's not like a pure customer service or call center job as I have mostly set clients but there are the occasional strangers who call in requesting things like certificates for classes they took 20 years ago and questions on scheduling re-exams.

And today obviously everyone was more chipper and ready to start the year than I was because I walked in to 15 messages and then got almost 10 more today.

To the left and right of my phone is my wonderful balanced lunch (thank goodness there's a Starbuck's in the building). For a good laugh, check out the time the photo was taken - 2:45 p.m. - that's what time I finally got to eat for 15 minutes after being at work since 8:30 a.m.

That's why the photo is in black & white. It really was that melancholy today. And January is supposed to be the slow time.

NOTE: January 4, 2007 post to Photo 365 and Project 365

DAY THREE: Did About As Much As An Engraving Today

DAY THREE: did about as much as an engraving today
Originally uploaded by displaced365.

I called in sick for work today so about all I did was run to the post office to send back some rebate forms from products that I picked up back at Thanksgiving.

Like most things in my neighborhood, the post office has a lot of concrete in the building material. This, however, is one of the nicest engravings in the entire neighborhoods. Plus it makes my little (well it's actually pretty big) neighborhood feel like its own city.

NOTE: January 3, 2007 post to Photo 365, Project 365!, and Project 365

DAY TWO: Kicking It Old School In The New Money Neighborhood

DAY TWO: kicking it old school in the new money neighborhood
Originally uploaded by displaced365.

Today I needed to run some errands to truly begin the new year (as it was the last day I had off work as a paid holiday). After getting my haircut in the western part of the Lincoln Park neighborhood (right by De Paul but just at a cheapie haircutting place that happens to be in Lincoln Park), I headed east to go to the Borders at Clark and Diversey and buy a calendar.

I didn't end up buying a calender, although I did buy a planner and little mini-book trinkets to give out at work for people who didn't get bigger Christmas presents.

Anyhow, that's neither here nor there in relation to this photo except to set location. This photo was taken from the roof of the parking structure next to the Borders (which also houses a Wolf Camera). This one was facing southwest so this older building is in the heart of the Lincoln Park neighborhood.

You might as well have painted in green.

NOTE: January 2, 2007 post to Project 365!

DAY TWO: This Bag Is Not The Most Beautiful Thing Ever

this bag is not the most beautiful thing ever
Originally uploaded by displaced365.

I could strangle whoever dropped this bag on the ground in Lakeview or Lincoln Park (this photo was taken basically on the border of the two neighborhood at Clark and Diversey). Not just because I hate litterers (I'm a Green with a big "G" and a small one) but because they screwed up my photo.

I was so in love with everything about this photo in tone and composition that it's one of the few photos that I left completely unaltered in psuedo-photoshop (I've got the real thing but the program I use, I've found, lets you do more with color adjustments). Then I saw it.

I couldn't see the white baggie in the viewfinder as I took the shot and I didn't see it on the capture screen after. It was only when I blew it up to full size that it was there. And now it distracts me whenever I look at the photo! UGH!

Well maybe I'll be able to go back on the roof of the parking garage in the Surf Building and take this shot again. But I bet I won't get the same composition and color.

Darn it! Darn it! Darn it! Stupid bag!

NOTE: January 2, 2007 post to Project 365

DAY TWO: So Much Garbage That It Scared The Cat

so much garbage that it scared the cat
Originally uploaded by displaced365.

I knew I couldn't last that long into a 365 day photo challenge before I posted a picture of my roommate's cat (who for some reason spend all his time in my room). I tried to contain myself but when the cat started mewing at the door attempting to get out as I was taking out the garbage from my New Year's cleaning (out with the old junk and in with the new junk), I just had to caputre it.

I'm sure that he was just sensing that I was about to go out the door and is always curious what lies just beyond the world of an indoor cat.

Or, well, maybe he was worried that if he didn't escape the apartment, a garbage bag would fall on him.

NOTE: January 2, 2007 post to Photos 365

DAY ONE: This Sums Up New Year's Eve Quite Nicely

DAY ONE: this sums up New Year's Eve quite nicely
Originally uploaded by displaced365.

Even though I did all my drinking at the first party I went to (I was the designated driver) - and didn't have any champagne this shot sums up a lot of the night.

At the first party I went to, we played this card based party game called "Apples To Apples." To play this game, everyone is dealt seven noun cards, an adjective community card is played and all the players put down a noun card they think the adjective card describe. One player (who sits out the round) is the judge and decides which noun card wins.

I won the game we played at this party before we moved onto poker.

I was amazed when we got to Blaire's house and they had been playing the same game. Apparently this is now the biggest game on Earth.

NOTE: January 1, 2007 post to Project 365

DAY ONE: The Party Crashers Have The Time Of Their Lives

the party crashes have the time of their lives
Originally uploaded by displaced365.

The last party of the night that I went to on New Year's had Cristal champage. It was quite a classy party in comparison to the other two (which were more chill) as it was a literary group. It was a literary group who read their writing drunk but a literary group just the same.

Needless to say all of us were a bit out of place and ended up just hanging around each other (not that this dude on the left didn't try to mack on every woman under 40 there - and there weren't too many of those).

Anyhow, by this point in the night, everybody but me was just fall down drunk and so I got this moment thart can only happen around 2:00 a.m. when the drinking started at 7:00 p.m. (with the Bears game).

BTW - The title is a joke. We were all invited through Samantha's friend Teddy.

NOTE: January 1, 2007 post to Photos 365

DAY ONE: It's Pretty Obvious That Christmas Is Over From This Tree

it's pretty obvious that Christmas is over from this tree
Originally uploaded by displaced365.

As this was my first day of taking photos for a 365 day challenge, I figured that I might as well try to take some actual photos that weren't just wild party shots.

I just love the way that the ornaments are hanging from this little tree. It reminds me of the Charlie Brown Christmas special where Linus just keeps trying to get his sickly tree to stand up (though I'd have to guess this tree started out healthier).

I was a bit afraid to eat one of the 'Nilla wafers below the tree for fear of swallowing a needle.

NOTE: January 1, 2007 post to Project 365!