Realized today that there is some mysterious hybrid 23rd/24th floor at the Mart. Feels like a secret thing, but then again… how secret can it possibly be, if anyone on the elevator can just push a button?
Also remembered that I snuck up to the top of this building nearly 20 years ago. I wonder if Floor 23/24 is for access to the roof?
Spotted this vehicle as I was walking to work. There was no one around, the doors were open, and all I could see inside was just bags and bags of potting soil.
Spotted this on the way to work, at a Hyde Park Metra station. It was… disconcerting, to say the least.
I take some small comfort that the design (and message) seems to have been written in ketchup (I saw a lot of empty packets around). But still – jarring, nonetheless.
Spotted on my way home.
A day or so ago, Liz and I were driving down South Lake Park Avenue, and got redirected. Turns out, there was this enormous crane situated in the middle of the road… and was in the process of lifting up trees to a nearby rooftop.
So this thing happened, on my way to work. And it involved $300. Well, maybe.
Let me explain.
I can’t imagine the placement of this sign was an act of laziness. It must have taken some serious work to get it positioned so high. And then the thought again: why?
Today, the train slowed and I noticed out of the corner of my eyes that there was an actual train car being washed. The light was reflecting off the window something awful, but I got a few seconds of the process on video.
On the way up to work, in the elevator, I spotted the control panel… with a door slightly ajar. Curious about what might be hidden from normal passengers, I decided to open it up a little.
Sometimes, if your head is in the clouds… that’s exactly where it’s supposed to be.
Spotted along 53rd. I like the backdrop of the arches. And how all that remains, all the eye focuses on is the mouth. And how you can almost hear the roar, even as the rest of the creature is fading away.
Other riders in my train were experiencing the same thing. And it slowly dawned on everyone that our ability to “pay” for our tickets was compromised. We heard an announcement talking about the app issues, and everyone basically got to ride the train for free.
What struck me was that this was like a mini-Y2K event for Metra/Ventra. The February 1 timeline resulted in a significant before/after shift, and perhaps they could have done a bit more QA before the big day.
It’s an odd thing, but I feel like I lost a skill. Not that my photos were ever that skillful. I’m talking about a way of looking at the world. I’m out of practice.
I felt this way about writing poetry, in particular. I did it a lot when I was younger, in grad school, and during my early years in Chicago. But as I slowly replaced writing poetry with writing code, I feel like I lost a certain point of view. I feel like I lost a way of looking at the world.
A pretty serious fog took over Chicago today, particularly close to the lake. Worth noting: this fog would stick around for the next two days, making any walk outside a bit eerie, and a bit more shrouded in mystery.
I was headed to the office today. And on my way out the door, I stopped in my tracks when I saw this across the street.