Picnic
February 28, 2006 •
This Thursday Intuit Gallery will be showing Other People's Pictures. It's a film about obsessive collectors of snapshots. It's supposed to be one hell of a movie. I'll be there and if any of you nuts show up, I'll take you out for pie afterwards.
Brakes
February 28, 2006 •
Happiness
February 28, 2006 •
Snazzy
February 28, 2006 •
Temptation
February 27, 2006 •
Talent
February 27, 2006 •
America
February 27, 2006 •
Assistance
February 27, 2006 •
Cemented
February 27, 2006 •
Flashback
February 27, 2006 •
Occasion
February 26, 2006 •
Our own Lorelei has started her own blog ...Dame Bramage. Check it out.
Henry
February 26, 2006 •
I had just moved back to Chicago from Minneapolis. We found a great apartment up in St. Bens. It was perfect. I decided we should get a dog to ...well, you know, protect our stuff. The neighbors across the street had just gotten robbed. A dog would make us safer.
Nicole and I drove down to the Chicago pound to pick out out new dog. We didn't know what kind of dog we were looking for. We were just there to "see what they have". I think every Chicagoian who had adopted a dog from the pound originally just went down there to "see what they have".
In every cage there were eyes begging you to get them out. Me. Out. Now. Me. Me. I didn't know what I exactly was looking for but I had a weird feeling that I had to be there on that day. At the back of the room, in a corner cage, stood a skinny black shepard mix with the biggest ears I'd ever seen on a dog. His eyes had a different look from the others. He was smart. He was strong. He had a sense of humor. How can you tell from one look? I have no idea but in my heart I knew. He was the reason I had to be there that day.
He was a goofball. He wanted to have fun and I knew it. I kneeled down to pet him through the cage. Nicole looked at him and was skeptical. "Are you sure? He looks like trouble." she said. I looked up at Nicole and said "Isn't that what you mom said about me?". She smiled and said "Ha, lets get him then".
We did.
We took him to the apartment and he ran through the door to check out his new home. He was excited. He was happy. "Well, what do we call him". I thought about it for a few minutes. I wanted a name that would fit his personality. I looked down at him and thought he reminded me of my friend in Minneapolis who was a dj, Henry Mhoon. I said "Hey Henry" and his big ears shot up as he turned to look at me. Henry it was.
Henry loved the apartment. The first night he ran around like a kid in a candy store checking out every nook and cranny of his new home. We had just bought this "I Dream of Jeannie" looking couch from an antique store. It was red and yellow with a crazy arabesque look to it. Nicole loved it. So did Henry. He plopped down on the couch and made himself at home. Nicole looked at me and said "Get him off the couch". I convinced Henry it was in his best interest to find a new favorite place. He didn't look too happy about it and reluctantly moved. That night, Nicole and I went out to grab a couple of beers at a local tavern. When we came back to the apartment, there was Henry standing on the couch with a big piece of foam in his mouth. He had dug a hole right in the middle of the couch. It was ruined. He looked at us with a big smile like he was trying to say "Isn't this great!". Nicole freaked out. She wanted to send him back. I knew what happened to dogs that got sent back to the pound. I looked at Henry and I swear he winked at me. I told Nicole I'd take a couple of weeks and train him.
I trained him. I was mean to him. I yelled. I punished. I was everything I swore I would never be in life but it worked. Slowly he learned. Over time, he became one of those amazingly trained dogs that you could walk without a leash. Henry knew hand signals. He listened.He learned anything you taught him. He went to bars with me and sat at my feet to me without letting any distraction get to him.
Through the late ninties, I was lost. I drank. I really drank. No matter how lost I was, Henry was there to show me love. He was just happy to see me. He didn't care what I did. He just wanted me to be there with him.
Those were hard times. Sometimes I just wanted to jump off a bridge but I always thought "Who will take care of Henry?". He kept me alive. He made me laugh when I thought I didn't remember how. He watched over me and he knew where I was at all times even if I didn't.
Yea, I love that dog.
Henry is sick. The cancer has spread. I'm seeing another doctor on monday morning. It's been a really hard week. I'm in an emotional blender.
People will say "It's only a dog, get over it". To those people I send a hearty "Fuck you". The amount of love this simple animal has given me is tenfold what I get from some humans. If you've never owned a dog like Henry, I can't explain it to you. For those of you who do, we smile with the same inner knowledge of which I speak. There is love in the world. This is one place you can find it.
No matter what happens with Henry, I've been blessed to have him as a pet, friend and family member. I wish everyone could experience a dog like Henry.
If you're not doing anything today, you may want to stop by your local pound.
Just to see what they have.
Chores
February 26, 2006 •
Play
February 26, 2006 •
Lust
February 25, 2006 •
It's saturday night...grab someone you love and show them how you feel.
Covered
February 25, 2006 •
Moment
February 25, 2006 •
Art
February 24, 2006 •
Superstar
February 24, 2006 •
Quoted
February 24, 2006 •
Something good!
Anything with a monkey on a stick is A-OK by me
(note to self, avoid gnome and monkey on a stick references when talking to reporters...)
Fun
February 24, 2006 •
Prepared
February 24, 2006 •
Industrious
February 23, 2006 •
Slab
February 23, 2006 •
Cupped
February 23, 2006 •
Sip
February 23, 2006 •
Relaxation
February 22, 2006 •
Happy
February 22, 2006 •
Jimmy
February 22, 2006 •
Punishment
February 21, 2006 •
Style
February 21, 2006 •
Next
February 21, 2006 •
Caught
February 21, 2006 •
Protected
February 21, 2006 •
For Alice
February 20, 2006 •
Target
February 20, 2006 •
Anticipation
February 20, 2006 •
Helen
February 20, 2006 •
Battle
February 19, 2006 •
Visitors
February 19, 2006 •
Relief
February 19, 2006 •
Punchline
February 18, 2006 •
Spread
February 18, 2006 •
Choices
February 17, 2006 •
No
February 17, 2006 •
Trauma
February 17, 2006 •
Seduction
February 16, 2006 •
Basic
February 16, 2006 •
Collection
February 16, 2006 •
Pattern
February 16, 2006 •
Holiday
February 16, 2006 •
Protection
February 16, 2006 •
Agile
February 16, 2006 •
Entertainment
February 15, 2006 •
Photoblogger
February 15, 2006 •
Dammit
February 15, 2006 •
So I head on over to pick up the motorhome this morning and I'm feeling on top of the world. Everything is falling into place. There is goodness on the planet.
There motorhome sits in the owners driveway ready to become the rolling Bighappyfunhouse. I take it for a final test drive. It dies three times. The engine now sounds like shit. The owner looks at me and says "Are you very mechanical?".
I walked away. I'm headed to Indiana to look at another one today.
An old antique dealer once told me this.
"Sometimes when I'm driving home from an estate sale and my car is empty, I say to myself, Hooray Hooray I bought nothing today. Sometimes it's a good day if you find nothing to buy. It means you get to keep your money for another sale"
Cross yer fingers.
Decor
February 15, 2006 •
Aftermath
February 15, 2006 •
You
February 14, 2006 •
Here we go
February 14, 2006 •
I pick up the motorhome in the morning!
Relaxation
February 14, 2006 •
Beyond
February 14, 2006 •
Balance
February 14, 2006 •
Hell
February 13, 2006 •
Infantilism
February 13, 2006 •
Test
February 13, 2006 •
Lapdance
February 12, 2006 •
Harvey
February 12, 2006 •
Temptation
February 12, 2006 •
Pals
February 12, 2006 •
Contest
February 12, 2006 •
Abduction
February 11, 2006 •
Coiffure
February 11, 2006 •
Freedom
February 11, 2006 •
Opinion
February 10, 2006 •
Lorelei
February 10, 2006 •
Nick
February 10, 2006 •
This is Nick from Square America.
His snapshot show is opening tonight at The Carl Hammer Gallery.
If you're in Chicago, head on down an check it out.
Amazing photos and free booze......
And ladies, he's single........
Spacious
February 10, 2006 •
Assistance
February 10, 2006 •
Extra
February 09, 2006 •
Abundance
February 09, 2006 •
Thrills
February 09, 2006 •
Grotto
February 08, 2006 •
Sled
February 08, 2006 •
Talent
February 08, 2006 •
Comfort
February 08, 2006 •
Ambush
February 07, 2006 •
Wallflower
February 07, 2006 •
Velveeta
February 07, 2006 •
American
February 07, 2006 •
Gimme
February 07, 2006 •
Participation
February 06, 2006 •
Sorry for the lack-o-pics today. I was running all over two states buying junk.
Odell
Streator
Rockford
Lake Geneva
Racine
Did you ever drive so much that when you stop, you still feel like you're moving?
Patience
February 06, 2006 •
Lost
February 06, 2006 •
Carl Hammer Gallery
February 06, 2006 •
This Friday, my friend Nick from Square America is having the opening for his snapshot show. He has the most amazing collection on the planet.
I'll be there this at about 6:30. It should be my last night in Chicago so come on down. And yea, I'll take you out for pie afterwards.
Design
February 05, 2006 •
Giddy
February 05, 2006 •
talent
February 05, 2006 •
Decor
February 04, 2006 •
Excitement
February 04, 2006 •
Mermaids
February 04, 2006 •
Really Laura
February 04, 2006 •
Not Laura
February 04, 2006 •
Explorer
February 03, 2006 •
Strength
February 03, 2006 •
Questions
February 03, 2006 •
O.K......Who has questions?
Help
February 03, 2006 •
Protection
February 03, 2006 •
Fran
February 02, 2006 •
The Home of The Giant Brandy Snifter
February 02, 2006 •
In honor of Suzanne and her giant brandy snifter fixation, I've bought the domain name giantbrandysnifter.com. It's been redirected to bighappyfunhouse.
It's the little things in life that make you happy..
Dude
February 02, 2006 •
Instruction
February 02, 2006 •
Yonder
February 01, 2006 •
Adventure
February 01, 2006 •
Unto
February 01, 2006 •
Everywhere
February 01, 2006 •
See that tray.... Back there....Leaning against the wall.....The one painted with flowers.....I've been inside a ton of estates here in Chicago.......In every single house you'll find that same tray.....I think it may be some kind of evil plot.....
