I used to work across the street from The Drake, and sometimes when the office politics got too bad I'd go over and sit in the lobby until I cooled off. Hadn't been back in a while, though, so it was fun to go and join the Chicago bloggers at the bar for martinis and birthday cake. Here's a roll call (and a photograph of the bar tab).

Then it was over to the MCA for this event, which included an ECC performance. A harried organizer informed us there were only about 20 minutes left (who knew they'd run the show on time?) and kindly showed us back into the darkened theater, which smelled like a dirty sock. We'd missed seeing Mark, but saw part of a performance by the TV Sheriffs, whose ensemble included a performer dressed in a pink ape costume.

Eventually we managed to locate Mark and trundled his gear outside. Mark drives a hearse, which, remarkably, he'd found a parking place for on Chicago Avenue. It's a nice ride, although I've never found it particularly agreeable to sit in the back for more than a short ride.

Here's Eric in the wayback, more or less comfortable.

Here's me in the front seat, glad not to be in the back. Mark is trying to reattatch his stereo, a process that involved blown fuses and a lot of wires.

And then we were driving through the rain on Lake Shore Drive, sailing along in the hearse. I wish my neighbors had been awake to see it, but the neighborhood was sleeping.

Friday began an extended celebration of my birthday, which is actually Monday. Celebrations have taken a strange turn today as I seem to have some sort of low-grade virus that is making me fall sleep every four hours, kind of like the cats.