My Frend Joe

I've got some good friends named Sharon and Greg. We've all known each other for almost 15 years now, so when they decided to start a family, I thoroughly approved. They're both very intelligent, funny and caring people--Greg is an artist/professor, and Sharon is a graphic designer/elementary school teacher--pretty good place to start from, eh? Seeing as how i don't have any kids, I like to live vicariously through my friends'.

When they decided to adopt three at-risk kids who'd been bounced around foster homes for most of their young lives, I admired my friends even more, and couldn't wait to meet these kids who had made such an impression and changed their lives so much. Christopher, Brian and Jarvis are three of the brightest little guys I've ever known... their smiles will blow you away, so bright and honest--it restores your faith in humanity. When I went up to stay with them for a couple of days to catch up and work on some art projects, the boys and I had plenty of quality time looking at comic books, playing superheroes, you know--all the cool stuff you get to do in summer when you're a free-wheelin' little kid.

I know it sounds corny and sentimental, but I really do believe that it's important to try and make good impressions on kids when they're in that crucial development stage, and to encourage them to think and expand their horizons.  I also think it's important to listen to them, instead of just telling them what to do and where to sit, play, etc.--and when the kids are as bright and full of energy as my friends' are, well... it's the easiest thing in the world to do. We had a great visit.

Apparently, I made more of an impression on Brian than I realized. This is a story he wrote, and it was passed along to my friends at their parent-teacher conference. He wrote it for a class assignment; the topic was to write about his summer, and this is what he came up with :D When my buddy gave me a copy of it, I was speechless--and so proud of the wee guy, I wanted to share it.

Gotta hand it to him, he's got a promising future as a caricaturist!

oops! or: hello face, it's been a while

A musician friend from my days in Scotland posted something about being in Chicago on her Facebook page the other day. I quickly fired off a message--if she was in town, we HAD to grab a drink or something! Turns out she is now in a group called Geese, supporting Imogen Heap at the Riviera tonight, and was gracious enough to put myself and my girlfriend on the guestlist.

Well I haven't seen Emma for at least a couple of years, probably a little bit more than that; naturally, I wanted to look my best (or as best as possible with what I've got left to work with at this point, haha) so I figured I'd better trim up my beard. Now, for those of you not familiar with my current "look" (which is NOT represented in my wee profile pic), I have worn a beard--neatly trimmed--and mustache, an upgrade from the goatee I sported for the previous decade or so, for the past couple of years.

Grabbing the trimmer, I tucked in under my chin and carved a swath up my neck... what the hell?! Yep... a big, ragged-looking shaved patch had suddenly appeared smack dab in the middle of my nicely kept beard. I'd forgotten to put the guard back on, and was basically using it as a shaver instead. "It's not THAT bad," I rationalized after a couple minutes' close inspection in the mirror. "Maybe I can fix it, blend it in..."

First attempt: click the trimmer down to setting #1 and see what happens. Not much, turns out. Still looked patchy from too many angles. "Ok, maybe I can try and shave my chin, leaving some sort of 'ragtime porkchops' or something..." Ummm, no.

Looks like my baby face would be making its first appearance in several years.

badge music

If you're a regular reader, you may remember a post I did a few months ago about my wee side business making badges. If you're just joining the fun here at Quake's Crib, a quick catch-up: I make and sell custom and vintage badges, in various sizes and product formats (for examples, check out my Etsy shop: http://badgesbyquake.etsy.com ). Here and there I'll do some badges for bands, and if I like their music i'll write a quick blurb about them. Such is the case with local Chicago rockers Saint Aviator.

I met Michael Main, the man behind SA, as the drummer for another band I do badges for, Tiny Magnets. I dropped off some one night at a gig where he was pulling double duty; I sat down for Tiny Magnets, but I stuck around a bit for SA. Good thing--their bass heavy, low-end rock sound was a nice capper to the evening, and when Michael threw a couple of tracks my way, I didn't say no. Keep an eye out, you might just want some power dischordia in your own head sometime soon.