"Architect Santiago Calatrava Unveils New Denver Airport Design

From Artforum.com via Denver Post:

According to Jeffrey Leib in the Denver Post, Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, in unveiling designs for the first phase of Denver International Airport’s south terminal redevelopment, says that they will complement the airport’s best-known architectural element—its terminal with the white-tented roof.

“We have given our best to create a dialogue between the two buildings in a complementary basis to respect the iconic view of the tent,” Calatrava said of the interplay between his structures and the existing terminal, which was designed by Denver architect Curt Fentress."

I want Calatrava to design every building in the world. When I saw a picture of that museum in Milwaukee, I was floored. When I heard of that skyscraper in Chicago (which probably never made it up), I knew a star was born. His European commissions are excellent, too, a bridge, I believe amongst them. And I think he had something in New York--something gigantic, in fact--but I cannot recall.

Backstage With Lena

From ArtsBeat Blog at NYT:

"Lena Horne, who died on Sunday at 92, won a special Tony Award in 1981 for her Broadway revue “Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music.”

In the show Ms. Horne sang many famous numbers, including “The Lady Is a Tramp” and “Stormy Weather,” while dressed in costumes designed by Giorgio Sant’Angelo. The production ran for more than a year at the Nederlander Theater before touring the country.

David LeShay, now the director of communications for the Theater Development Fund, a nonprofit organization that runs New York’s three TKTS discount-ticket booths, was a press assistant at the time and was assigned to take photographs of the many celebrities who visited Ms. Horne after the show.

“As a young photographer I was called upon to take the backstage photos whenever celebrities came backstage,” Mr. LeShay wrote in an e-mail message. “It was one of the most fun things I’ve ever done in my career.”

A slide show featuring some of those photographs can be found here."

Music Review - Nancy Wilson Is at Home at the Blue Note

From NYTimes:

"Ms. Wilson, one of the greatest jazz singers alive, presents herself as a kind of double agent. She’s gone back and forth between pop and the jazz-to-blues tradition of Etta Jones and Jimmy Scott. The lyrics in her best-known songs put her forth as a model of finishing-school tact and husband-adoring constancy who also happens to be calculating effort-versus-return in her head.

And in “Day In, Day Out,” she did something simple and remarkable. She had a cast on her foot, but at the beginning of Mr. Matthews’s piano solo, she walked offstage, parted the throng and made her way to the bar for a drink. Then she returned and resumed, without comment."

Nancy Wilson is the motherfucking truth--and, unsurprisingly, a badass. Where isn't she at home?

Atwood Says ‘We Don’t Do Cultural Boycotts’ and Accepts Israeli Prize

From ArtsBeat Blog at NYT:

"Margaret Atwood on Monday accepted the Dan David Prize at Tel Aviv University in Israel, telling an interviewer before the ceremony that to snub the honor would be tantamount to “throwing overboard the thousands of writers around the world who are in prison, censored, exiled and murdered for what they have published.”

Ms. Atwood, the Canadian author of “The Year of the Flood” and a vice president of International PEN, the literary human rights group, shared the $1 million prize with the Indian writer Amitav Ghosh (“Sea of Poppies”). Prior to the awards ceremony, Ms. Atwood had been urged by Palestinian groups and writers from other countries not to accept the prize as a protest of Israel’s policies toward the Gaza Strip and its artists. But Ms. Atwood was not persuaded, telling Bloomberg News, “We don’t do cultural boycotts."

God bless Margaret Atwood. I like her fiction and I like her poetry but now I also like her. Let's hear it for a little moral seriousness.

Alain de Botton commissions holiday homes to promote modernist architecture

From The Guardian:

"The philosopher Alain de Botton is to venture into holiday lettings in an attempt to cure the British public of what he believes is a widely held fear of modernist architecture.

The author of books including the Consolations of Philosophy and The Architecture of Happiness, has commissioned five houses by some of Europe's leading modern architects, which he plans to rent out on a not-for-profit basis. He said his purpose was 'to help people get over the dichotomy that modernism equals awful and antiquated equals great'."

Good fucking luck. Whatever one thinks of modernist architecture, one must applaud the gumption. Botton is an even more interesting thinker than I thought.

The Complete Metropolis

From Time Out New York:

"There’s a whiff of karmic retribution to the way the German cinema milestone Metropolis was treated upon its release. Many viewers were nonplussed by this city-of-the-future parable, where an apocalyptic battle brews between the haves and the have-nots. Science-fiction writer H.G. Wells was infamously quoted in a Frankfurt newspaper: “I have recently seen the silliest film.” And the original two-and-half-hour cut was barely screened beyond the gala premiere. This certainly wasn’t what demanding director Fritz Lang had in mind during the tortuous months of production. But there was no glory at the end of this gauntlet: Distributors both in and out of the country hacked the movie to more audience-friendly lengths, and the intended Metropolis was lost to time."

Finally, the complete Metropolis--or complete as we're going to get, anyway. Forget Avatar; we have yet to improve on this film. And, the way things are going, I daresay we never will.

Jerome Kern musical resurrected after 70 years

From SF Chronicle:

"Jerome Kern's last musical, 'Very Warm for May,' bombed on Broadway in 1939, six years before the composer's death. Written with Oscar Hammerstein II, with whom Kern had created the epochal 'Show Boat' in 1927, the work vanished from public view for nearly half a century.

Hammerstein wouldn't allow the revival of the ill-fated show, which featured Kern's classic 'All the Things You Are,' whose ingenious harmonic structure has inspired countless jazz improvisers. In 1985, New York's Equity Theater Library got the OK to put on a small-scale production of 'Very Warm for May,' which made people take note. It's a show-within-a-show about an avant-garde theater troupe rehearsing a surrealist musical in the barn of a kooky Long Island matron. Eve Arden, who became famous years later as TV's 'Our Miss Brooks,' played her on Broadway."

What a great idea. Clear off all that overgrown brush that passes for musical theater today. Let's bring back Of Thee I Sing while we're at it.

Into Octavio Paz's intellectual universe

From Los Angeles Times:

"Weaving their bodies in a loose circle around a line of candles, the young actors appeared to be performing some ancient mystic rite. One lifted a small human statue with tender reverence. Another peered hard into a hand-held mirror, as if scanning for a secret identity.

Lyrical language filled the stark white room — Spanish, English, French, snatches of Korean — as the tableaux vivants of CalArts students grew steadily more sensual and intense.

It was a few days into rehearsal of 'Piedra de Sol' (Sunstone), a multimedia performance piece based on the famous poem of that name by Mexican Nobel laureate Octavio Paz. Heavily influenced by Surrealist imagery, and laden with references to Mesoamerican and Greco-Roman myths, Paz's 1957 poem is a rapturous, metaphysical rumination on erotic life forces and the search for an authentic self (or selves) within other people, other cultures and the flow of time and history."

Let's turn all great poems into theater. In all seriousness, this sounds fascinating. Paz might make it in the dissertation and this is the poem that would probably have the most purchase. We'll see.

Yellow courdorouys on bus today - m4w (Downtown) 32yr

"I got off at Washington. You were still on.

You were reading a book, and had on yellow

corduroys, very nice eyes, and uber cute.

You should look up from your book from

time to time to see the guys admiring your

cuteness. Hope you check these."

Metra NORTH LINE - w4m

".... i doubt this is going to reach you, but after a short consideration i figured it won't hurt to try...you were being such a gentleman and held the door for me today at the HP train station, then sat behind me on the train heading to Chicago...i heard you sigh few times and i think i felt you watch me....but maybe I was just imagining that...i had hoped that you might strike up a conversation or ask for the time or something...but you did not...when we were about to get off the train, some woman had let me go in front of her, so i lost track of where you were till i saw you again while i was going down on the escalator...i think you saw me too...i saw you go outside and i followed you out through the revolving door...i was late for an appointment, so i had to hurry and grab a cab, while you headed left....i think this is pretty detailed for you to recognize who you are....in case, by some miraculous fate, you are reading this, please consider replying...it could have just been my wild imagination....or....it could have been....(???)"

Queen's love of jigsaw puzzles on display at Sandringham

From The Telegraph:

"The exhibition which offers an insight into the private life of the royal family opens today at Sandringham estate in West Norfolk.

The complicated 400-piece jigsaw puzzle, a collage which includes the Princess Royal, the Duke of York, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, Princess Margaret, Princes William and Harry and the Duke of Edinburgh, is among other previously unseen personal items on display.

The jigsaw puzzle was sent to the Queen, for whom puzzles are a favourite past time, in 1993 as a gift from a specialist jigsaw puzzle maker in London. The box is left plain because the Queen is understood to find that having a picture to follow makes the task too easy."

This would be even more adorable if the puzzle wasn't of the Royal Family. (What, are you kidding me?) The detail about the box I like though.

Recombinant Rhymer Encodes Poetry in DNA

From Wired:

Illustration: Nishant Choksi

Canadian poet Christian Bök wants his work to live on after he’s gone. Like, billions of years after. He’s going to encode it directly into the DNA of the hardy bacteria Deinococcus radiodurans. If it works, his poem could outlast the human race. But it’s a tricky procedure, and Bök is doing what he can to make it even trickier. He wants to inject the DNA with a string of nucleotides that form a comprehensible poem, and he also wants the protein that the cell produces in response to form a second comprehensible poem. Here’s a peek at the hellish task this DNA Dante has condemned himself to.

Devise a cipher

Bök will create a code that links letters of the alphabet with genetic nucleotides (adenine, cytosine, guanine, and thymine, aka ACGT). Each triplet of nucleotides will correspond to a letter so that, say, ACT represents the letter a, AGT represents the letter b, and so on.

Foresee the reply

Bök will have to choose his ciphers carefully, as his poem chemically ordains the sequence of amino acids that the bacteria will create in response. There are 8 trillion possible combinations, but depressingly few of them yield useful two-way vocabularies.

Write the poem

After using hand-coded software to determine which ciphers will give him the maximum two-way potential, Bök will finally start composing. He says his poem will probably need to have a “repetitive, incantatory quality.” We can imagine.

Insert the DNA

Once the poem is complete, lab technicians will string together the nucleotide polymers, creating a DNA fragment to insert into D. radiodurans. It’ll probably take several attempts to get the bacteria to accept the genetic info. Talk about publish or perish."

This is just about the craziest shit I have ever heard.

Larger-than-life Vogue editor works the small screen

From The Globe and Mail:

"He has only appeared on three episodes of America's Next Top Model and already Andre-Leon Talley has a signature word: dreckitude!

The diva-delicious put-down is just one of the reasons to watch the latest installment of Tyra Banks's model-search reality show, now in its 13th season and franchised around the world. Although Talley has a relatively minor role as one of the program's judges, the 60-year-old Vogue stalwart steals almost all of his scenes.

Recently, Globe Style spoke to him by phone from his home in White Plains, N.Y. Topics ranged from female empowerment to fashion bloggers. Only one question wasn't answered: Can he pull a Tyra and “smize” (smile with his eyes)?"

This man is a trip. I have seen him, I am sorry to say, on ANTM (which I liked more than I should have, though I was never more than an occasional watcher) but I found his one appearance on The Hills more memorable. During a photo-shoot for the Today show, he flustered Whitney, raving about how beautiful she was, how she should be a model, etc. Lisa Love looked bemused by the thought--though she tried to agree--and L.C. grinned from ear to ear. Oh, The Hills--how I miss thee! That reminds me: I have to check out the Slate piece on The Hills and Jersey Shore, though I expect--like most of the zine's pop-cultural pieces--it will be totally wrong. Also, admiring Tyra Banks a great deal, I suspect I know where the "smize" reference comes from: the Times magazine did a lengthy piece on her several months ago and Tyra, in a video section, gave a tutorial on several of the smiles at her disposal. I think the article was by their entertainment person, Lynn Hirschberg, but I could be wrong. Lynn Hirschberg, I should also add, recently trashed M.I.A., and by trashed, I merely mean stated the obvious. It was really delightful, especially as M.I.A. retaliated by tweeting her phone number, which just about confirmed everything Hirschberg said.

Faith in fedoras

From The Globe and Mail:

"Remember when women would get a new hat for Easter? Probably not, as the practice of donning a new bonnet every spring roughly fell out of favour around the same time Irving Berlin songs did.

In general, neither women nor men wear hats as much as they used to, but don’t tell that to Stephen Temkin, who is devoting a lot of time and talent to reviving chapeau culture – specifically men’s fedoras."

What self-respecting man doesn't love a good fedora? I always have, and if the ascendancy of Mad Men has taught us nothing, maybe the rest of the country likes them more than they ever thought.

You complimented me on my shoes - m4m (300 S Riverside) 40yr

"You got on the elevator and nodded in my direction. I was chatting with a co-worker and kept looking in your direction. You complimented me on my shoes and I told you that I was just about to compliment you on your personal style which you called 'homeless chic'. Was there a spark that could lead to something more?"

Marika Rivera obituary

From the Guardian:

"But her thoughts had turned increasingly to Mexico from where, after a silence lasting many years, her father had called her, begging her to come to him. 'I asked if he wanted just me or my mother as well and when he said that he only wanted to see me, and me alone, I refused. How I regret that now.'

In her dreams, however, she flew to his side to comfort him after the death of his third wife, the painter Frida Kahlo, whom Marika had disliked ever since an attempt to reach Rivera had been intercepted by Kahlo. 'Every time I called him, she said he wasn't there,' Marika said. 'Sometimes I could hear him in the background. Once, she just hung up.'

She thought often about returning to Mexico, although her one previous trip had been uncomfortable – she felt rejected by Rivera's two daughters by his second marriage, to Guadalupe Marin. Instead, she asked me to go on her behalf to the beautiful chapel at Chapingo, outside Mexico City, which is almost womb-like in its structure, and where Diego Rivera had, she claimed, painted the walls and ceiling with images inspired by Marika and Marevna. She told many stories, often with a great sense of humour – she loved to tease – and would drift off into impassioned French, especially when warning of the ways of men."

Berklee lands Pat Patrick’s jazz trove - The Boston Globe

"The Patrick Patrick collection includes original scores and arrangements by Patrick and Ellington; hundreds of photographs and negatives of Patrick on tour, in the studio, with his family, and with associates such as Monk and trumpeter Clark Terry; a ledger book from El Saturn Records, Ra’s label, in which Patrick tracked album sales from 1957-1959; a scrapbook of his music jobs in Chicago during the 1950s; and a recording of him playing trumpet at 10."

Sun Ra was never to my taste, but this collection sounds amazing.

Emerald Loop...on St. Patricks Day...Therapy - m4w (The Loop) 31yr

"We talked for a while...you are pretty, blond and have an affinity for therapy....and over-analyzing people. I asked your friend what your facebook was after you left but I can't find it....maybe she was lying....all part of a grad school class experiment!"

We on Craigslist

"can create so much mystery for each other. Is it her? Is it him? Is she replying to me with another email address? am I crazy? why does this ring so true? It can be a hopeful experience, or it can be a bucket of ice water thrown on you in the middle of a day dream.

I see ppl. saying things like 'I hope you don't think I posted that', so I know I am not the only one that sometimes wonders if my mc read it and thought it was from me...and it was NOT what I would ever say....

I think that sometimes it is healthy for me to read these, and sometimes it feels like I have to have my fix. which ain't good.

at any rate, to my mc..... 1. you know (if you remember) that I read these. 2. I can't see you posting anything on here, really. 3. who knows if you read them or not, maybe just a peek now and then? 4. Still love you, but you have given me no indication that you have changed your mind, or that you have any renewed interest at all. So I remain silent, as much as I can, and knowing you can see thru me is un nerving, bc I am doing my best to stay as distant as I can and still remain friends. This is how you want it.

I fooled myself into believing we could have a real friendship, and I have learned that we cannot. But, the good thing is, what we do have is enough for you. I will slowly fade out of your life, and you won't even know it was me that made us drift apart.

good night, starshine"

The Most Original MC Ever - m4w (Damen and Montrose) 22yr

"My title might possibly be misleading. In fact, it is wholeheartedly. While waiting for my bus to work this morning around 11:50am, I saw the prettiest girl I would see all week. She had the most glimmering brown hair and a trayful of coffee. If I didn't have to work, I would have stumbled to find something witty to say. Then again, I probably wouldn't have been at the bus stop if I didn't have to be at work.

Anyways, thank you, Ms. Pretty Girl at the Corner of Damen and Montrose. You are/were gorgeous. Given the chance, I would happily rack my brain to find the wit to say something clever to you."

heavenly pharmacist, prescribe an antidote for your beauty - m4w ('Nicks)

"Wow. Couldn't stop thinking about how lovely you looked from the moment we rolled our squeaky shopping cart past your window Thursday night. You were so thoroughly and magnificently distracting that I forgot to purchase the deodorant and toothpaste I was there to buy. I was lost in my head dreaming up non-contagious, serious-but-not-too-serious ailments about which I would need to speak to a pharmacist immediately (sadly, and obviously, none came to mind).

You were an absolute vision and beautify that establishment about 300%, even though you are surrounded by various anticoagulants, ointments and fiber-rich products. I hope if I ever come down with scabies or something, you will be filling my prescriptions for me."

fedora and flower rain coat - w4m (michigan and huron) 23yr

"I was crossing Michigan Ave with a friend last night around 7pm. You were wearing a fedora, I was in a flower rain coat. It was one of those scenes from a movie where we just stared at each other until our heads had to turn...etc etc."

To the waitress at Cafe Bella (Logan Square) 26yr

"Out of all of the Logan Square crushes I have had over the years, you are by far on the top of the list. And while yes the Caribbean chicken sandwich is excellent, the majority of the time I go in there is just to see if you are working. Though I must say it is a bit fruitless, considering the only things I am ever able to muster to say are “that sounds great” and “thank you”.

And I am fully aware that posting this is a bit ridiculous. Not only will you probably never even see this…but really in the end you are a waitress. You probably do that terribly adorable smile to every fella’ that comes strolling in, and I am just dumb enough to think that maybe somehow you have noticed me all those times.

Chances are I will never actually muster the courage to say anything to you. And even if I did, it would consists of mainly mumbling and stuttering with a barely audible “good grief you are cute” thrown in there. I guess in the end, I am writing this just to say that every time I see you, you absolutely make my day. Today being no exception."

MC With All the Beautiful Women in Chicago - m4w (Northside) 34yr

"I see you walking down the street, driving in the car next to me, sipping coffee at Starbucks, shopping at the grocery store, and working out at the gym. You girls are great! Thanks for being easy on the eyes ... it makes my day more enjoyable!"

Girl on Brown Line with orange Marmot jacket and leaf print umbrella - m4w (Brown Line train) 26yr

"I nodded off in my seat on the northbound Brown Line, and you were standing in front of me when I woke up. You were wearing blue Huntress rain boots and a burnt orange Marmot jacket. You were holding an umbrella that had a colorful leaf pattern on it, in fall tones. There was a ring on your right ring finger which I suppose could have been a wedding ring, but it appeared very dark, as if it were made from a blackened wood or some kind of mineral, so maybe it wasn't a wedding ring. You were very pretty and you seemed to carry yourself with confidence. We didn't speak and we may or may not have made eye contact. I think you left at Montrose, but it really could have been Irving."

Corn dog girl - m4w (Chicago and Damen) 23yr

"To the girl eating the corn dog waiting for the bus. We talked a second and I think you're way cute. If you read this and weren't going to meet your bf or gf, you should send an email back."

I just.. - w4m

"wish I didn't need you all the time. Everytime I walk into work, I see your face and I remember when it was inches away from mine, whispering my name and telling me how beautiful I am. You still don't know what you do to me, M. Please stop making me think that there could be something in the future; I'm holding on a miniscule thread of hope and have been for some time. I either need to move forward alone or move forward with your hand in mine- can you make a decision...

...and can you please make the one that I want? I don't normally beg, but your skin on mine feels like frissions and pinpricks. I don't want to forget that sensation.

E."

Your Music to My Ears - w4m (Discord )

"I was (am) so damn attracted to you. Very unfortunate ending to something that never began :("

My heart is dumb - w4m (Chicago) 31yr

"yes it is, this is why I am on this stupid site. my heart is dumb. my stupid heart cannot figure out that you do not want me, it still loves you. I hate you dumb heart for being dumb."

Stunning in Blue Scrubs - m4w (151 NB) 99yr

"I can count on one hand the times that I have felt my breath taken away at merely seeing someone. It happened this morning on the 151.

You must be a nurse at the nearby hospital complex given your blue scrubs. But to say that you are beautiful just doesn’t capture you fully. Such a perfect mouth and those gorgeous dark eyes. Just a hint of a smile (I’m sure from whatever you were listening to!) and there went my breath.

Whoever takes your breath away is a lucky soul."

Marital advice on the red line - m4w (Red Line South) 36yr

"Redline south from Sheridan-ish this morning. You were sitting in the seat by the door talking with your friend on the phone about her marital problems. Best line - 'Did you call me to validate your decisions or do you actually want my advice?' I was sitting kittycorner on the aisle until I had to slide over. Reading a book, wearing, a black pea coat, obviously listening in. I am pretty sure we exchanged glances a few times. And again when I got off at Chicago and you stayed on.

Anyway, you were quite cute and seemed cool as well. Drop me a line and let's talk. Or share another ride."

Yesterday, by the lakefront - m4w (Adler Planetarium) 26yr

"You were walking alone, black pea-coat type jacket, black boots and blue jeans. Attractive, but looked sad. What's your story?"

your voice

"sounds better on MC."

ashley in my photo class at columbia - m4w (columbia)

"Hey you probably dont read these but if you do then awesome. I keep trying to talk to you more to see if you have a boyfriend but we keep getting cut off or its seems awkward. I really wanted to see what you were doing this weekend if you dont have a boyfriend already.anyway hit me up if you read this oh yeah its sam"

Megan, Dance Jam, Galway Bay - m4w (Cheetah Gym Andersonville) 30yr

"So, for a month or so we went to the same Dance Jam class at the Cheetah, and then we 'officially' met at the Galway Bay on Diversey randomly. I had wanted to see if you wanted to grab a drink one day, but I haven't seen you at class or the gym since. I missed a few weeks recently, but I was hoping to catch you today.

If you're out there, let's grab a drink...and discuss the art of dance. (More likely, let's discuss other things)."

The Admired Woman...

"is so lucky to have come across one capable of seeing and appreciating true beauty."

Reddish Brown Curly Afro on Greenline - m4w (U got on at Clinton on Green Line)

"You are a light skinned African-American female. You had reddish-brown curly hair. I saw you get on at clinton with i think two of your co-workers. This was around 4:30ish PM. You had a bag that said brown bag it....lol. I was sitting on the back and I could not stop staring at you. I hope that you do not think that I am weird for posting this. We both got off on Austin together. I wanted to speak to you but I could not find the words. When we got off, you walked towards church's chicken and I went to the bus stop. I hope you read this and we can connect."

I'll miss you S - w4m

"I stayed because I hoped something would come of us. I no longer believe this will happen, and I need to leave to find something more certain. I really wish that we could have spent more time together. I know we have a lot in common and would have been great together.

~~Thanks for the daydreams :)"

Cumberland 530pm; you were running to catch loop bound train - m4w (Cumberland Blue Line) 26yr

"I got off the train at Cumberland after a long day at work and you ran past me to catch the loop bound train. You were a brunette, with enchanting eyes, and perfect skin. You were wearing a business-type skirt and heels. I looked back and saw that you made it on the last car. If you hadn't, I would have asked you to dinner. If by any chance you happen to read this, the dinner offer is still on."

Samya (Evanston (Sherman Ave))

"Dear Beautiful Pharm Tech,

I was actually feeling better yesterday because of your smile. Wish I could see it every day. But that would get expensive..."

CostCo Return - m4m (CostCo) 26yr

"I returned some gloves today at Costco and you were my Returns Cashier. You were quite attractive, and if you were not at work, I would have likely asked you out. Would love to meet up for coffee if you are interested."

I think you're cute (onefifty)too. - m4w (Brown Line in loop and 152 westbound) 23yr

"I saw you when I was on my way to a job interview downtown, you caught my eye on the train and I was happy to be wearing a suit. It was like I dressed up, to ride the train, and see a pretty girl. I also randomly bumped into you getting off the 152 at Target as I was getting on. I bought myself something new with my new paycheck from my great new job!

You had on a green top and jeans, light skin, dark hair, 5'5ish?

Me: I was wearing a suit with a red tie and a baby blue shirt, dark hair, charming smile. I was standing the whole time on the bus and the train- listening to our old friends, the Punch Brothers, it happens.

Thanks for being my lucky charm.

*This missed connection has been penned by his best girlfriend, because she made him tell her the story and he is a catch- an amazing, cute, friendly guy who deserves a great girl."

somebody help me? - w4m (not here)

"There is a pattern in my life, these men tell me they love me without even so much as a real date. I am easy to fall in love with apparently, I must weave some sort of magic that pulls them in. See the thing is, they don't fall in love with me necessarily. It seems like they fall in love with an idea, or my image? These men don't know anything about me, what I like, my favorite things or how I think. They fall in love with what they think I am and it turns me right off. So I am confused because I don't know what love is really supposed to be about.

I want a partner not an admirer.

What am I doing wrong?"

What happened to 'Why is it so wrong to want a traditional life?' - m4w 34yr

"Hi - I saw your ad in w4m and and was very intrigued, but you took it down before I had a chance to respond! We have alot of good things in common and you seem like someone I would really like to know. Please drop me a line!"

cute boy who i almost hit with my car this afternoon - w4m (milkaukee/ogden/chicago) 25yr

"you were crossing milwaukee today by chicago about 2pm. frustrated with traffic, i (accidentally)almost hit you with my car and you smiled. you had dark hair and i believe you had on a black jacket.

if you read this, write back?

p.s. you are a total babe."

You are a Woman, you are admired. - m4w

"I am a visitor to your city; here on a short term assignment, living within walking distance to work. You are a woman I see now and then when walking through the neighborhood and occasionally in the market. You are older and I suspect I am older still. You carry yourself with the confidence that only a woman who has lived life and tasted its ups and downs can exhibit. You have a figure I would describe as voluptuous and a way about you that says you have taken the time to explore the joys of a sensuous relationship. Something the rail thin youngsters that so many men chase have not lived long enough to even begin to understand.

You have thankfully resisted the urge to allow a plastic surgeon to turn you into one of their identical plastic women whose character has been erased from their face. With skin pulled too smooth across the same cheekbones, the same nose, the same chin and too puffy lips as thousands of others. To a man who appreciates the things that make a real woman the amazing creature she is, it is distressing. I suspect it is the female version of a “comb-over.” A balding man fools nobody; neither do plastic faced women.

There is an Indigo Girl lyric that goes “With every lesson learned a line upon your beautiful face, we’ll amuse ourselves someday with these memories we trace.”

I see lines that speak to an individual who knows who she is and is okay with living in that person’s skin. Lines and slight dimples that say this is someone who both understands and appreciates the humor in life and lines that speak to the strength of someone who has also known some sorrow. I see a person who looks like she would be a delight to know.

We shared a checkout line once and I know you smell of soap and cleanliness and shampoo and some hint of perfume my olfactory nerves enjoyed but could not identify. I also know that there is a small spot just behind your ear, where your hairline curves back that calls out to be nibbled.

Yes, you are a Woman and you are admired."

Black lace tights, beautiful legs - m4w (LaSalle and Lake) 27yr

"My deepest gratitude to the attractive young professional wearing black lacey tights crossing LaSalle on Lake on this warm spring day. After the long winter, I had forgotten what female legs looked like. Yours are exemplars of God's greatest design."

Girl in Prairie Central hoodie (blue) and Saucony backpack - m4w (Redline North Bound) 21yr

"You were being friendly to everyone on the el. You let a woman use your cell phone because hers didn't work on the subway. We kept directing smiles at one another. Hope you see this, I liked you a lot!"

Walking across Michigan Ave last night (Tues) - m4m (Michigan Ave and Delaware) 35yr

"I was at the traffic light in my car when you were crossing the street. As you were on your cell you looked back at me a couple times and I smiled. As you were crossing Michigan Ave toward Macy's we smiled again and waived. You are super cute! I was going to pull over and say hi but needed to head to a dinner. Lets meet up for a drink."

Mich Ave and Lake-ish - m4m (crossing the street) 36yr

"you: younger, dark features, curly hair and cute, I think you were with a friend who crossed the street in front of you. I was crossing with a friend in the other direction around 1:00 or so. Multiple eye contact. you were cute as hell."

St. Anne on Match - w4m (st. anne/Manteno) 35yr

"So we keep going back and forth w/ winks and such. I am completely unable to read emails let alone write any directly to you. Hoping you see this because I am intrigued and obviously you are at some level as well. For all we know we may be totally uncompatible or totally compatible. Yes, I should break down and pay for the site, but, what can I say. Just hope you see this and respond. And because I know there is a lot of spam and phoney responses on craigslist please tell me your dogs name as that you list it on your ad I'll know if it's you or not!!

~Fingers Crossed~"

Columbia College Chicago - w4m (Congress Building) 21yr

"To the boy (corey) in my film class, I have a huge crush on you and I'll probably never let you know. Just thought, if nothing else, you should know how attractive, smart, and friendly you are because it's obvious you don't really know. Thanks for always smiling."

Shilo.. Is your name shilo? - w4w (The Show) 39yr

"I saw you at the show.. I thought I'd seen a ghost..

Your resemblance is striking.

You have your mother's eyes, her hair, I was told you died with her.

All these years have come and gone.

How do I put this? I'm your...."

as a whole

"i just had the best...meditation session with you ever.

maybe you weren't there, but i imagined it."

OFF CHANCES - m4m (Danny's) 27yr

"You had a beard.

I had a beard.

Why doesn't this work like velcro?"

logan square MIL. Ave you were walking - m4w (mil/ right by blue line ) 25yr

"Hey I was walking today and so were you lol. All i can say is that we def. made eye contact and holy moly you made my heart skip a beat. You were blond and carrying a tanish looking bag, wearing some darker colored clothing. I was walking to the blue line carrying a back-pack with my sk8 board on it heading to my class. I almost ran into the fire hydrant by the chase cause i couldnt stop staring> Hopefully i caught your eye and you would perhaps like to have a drink or dinner or take a walk or something with me. Not trying to sound pathetic in anyway but WOW. you were gorgeous."

golden opportunity - m4w (golden nugget - ravenswood & lawrence) 26yr

"i only exchanged glances with you for a split second, but it was long enough to see a glimpse of something beautiful that might have been. i was leaving as you were coming in. you sat down alone at the table across from where i had just sat. alone. i dont know what randomly brought me to the golden nugget of all places on this day at that time, but i have to assume there was a reason. all i've been able to think about since i left was how amazing it could have been to just sit and have a cup of coffee with you. just talk about anything. or everything. maybe you were waiting for someone. i think maybe i was waiting for you. but i left just a little too soon. it would be nice to have another chance to say hello.

let me buy you a cup of coffee. i would enjoy meeting you."

Keira Knightley and Richard Gere set for Noah Baumbach's The Emperor's Children

From Guardian Books:

"Gere and Knightley look likely to play father and daughter in a film of Claire Messud's bestseller about three New Yorkers in the runup to and aftermath of 9/11

First she starred in Atonement, directed by Joe Wright from Ian McEwan's novel of the same name. Later this year she'll be seen in Never Let Me Go, a film version of Kazuo Ishiguro's moving novel. Now Keira Knightley looks set to complete a hat-trick of big screen adaptations of Booker-nominated novels.

The Wrap reports that Knightley is attached to the project, as is Gere and Eric Bana. Noah Baumbach has already signed on to direct, following the critical success of his latest film Greenberg. Baumbach has a background in the familial dramas of middle-class New Yorkers, having written and directed The Squid and the Whale, and Margot at the Wedding. He was reported to be simply scripting The Emperor's Children, with Ron Howard directing, but Howard has now handed over the reins to instead direct an infidelity comedy starring Vince Vaughn. He will remain onboard as a producer.

The Emperor's Children focuses on a trio of Brown University graduates cautiously approaching their 30s, whose moneyed existence is upset when an ambitious Australian enters their circle.

Filming is due to start this summer."

I first came across this book in the New York Times Book Review year end notable book list. A couple months ago, I finally got around to reading it and I was held but not, at bottom, thrilled. I think it might make a better movie than book, in fact, especially with Baumbach at the helm. If nothing else, Ms. Knightley is a delight, though overthin.

Renee Fleming, in Armida with the Metropolitan Opera | Cultural Conversation with Judith H. Dobrzynski

From WSJ:

"At one point during the interview Ms. Fleming said she wanted to perform at private concerts—for corporations, say —but started to explain that they are difficult to slot into a schedule booked so far in advance. 'Oh, wait,' she said, stopping. 'This is for The Wall Street Journal, right? I would love to do more private concerts.'"

Even divas gotta get paid. Haha, I like this piece, even though it's really nothing.

7 unproduced screenplays by famous intellectuals

From McSweeney's via Salon

The names are fascinating enough, but I was most intrigued by Adorno--only to discover his script was the least interesting.

Duke Special and the books that rock

From Times of London:

"Rock stars may like to give the impression of being uncouth but some of their coolest songs are influenced by literature"

I think a while back, the NYT--or maybe it was a London paper, like this Times?--had a feature on indie bands with literary leanings. The go-to-band for that sort of thing is, of course, The Decemberists, who I actually think are rather dreadful and probably an example of how not to draw on literature.

Mexican magazine: Reputed drug lord fears jail

From USA TODAY:

"One of Mexico's most famous reputed drug lords said in a rare interview published Sunday that he lives in fear of getting caught and believes the military has closed in on him four times.

'I'm terrified of being incarcerated,' Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada told the Mexican news magazine, Proceso, adding that he would even contemplate suicide if he was about to be caught. 'I'd like to think that yes, I would kill myself.'"

Olajuwon watches daughter in Final Four

From The Globe and Mail:

"For the first time in Oklahoma center Abi Olajuwon's four years with the Sooners, Hakeem Olajuwon watched his daughter play from the stands Sunday in Oklahoma's 73-66 loss to Stanford in the national semi-finals.

“You feel goose bumps,” Hakeem Olajuwon said. “You want her to do so well, and win so bad. I want to go in and do something.”

After carrying the Sooners to the Final Four, Abi Olajuwon was held to six points and nine rebounds in her final game.

Hakeem Olajuwon sat with the rest of Abi's family, and was easy to spot: the Hall of Famer wore a bright green polo shirt in a sea of Sooners crimson."

I know very, very little about sports, but I remember Olajouwn's career and I thought this was cute. I wonder if she's even the best player on the team...

Two Quotes

"We shall be judged finally by the delicacy of our feeling for when to stop short." -- Robert Frost, in a letter to Sidney Cox

"She had the utterly disdainful expression of a dame who makes her dates by long distance." -- Raymond Chandler, The High Window

Hot mama, dressed in black, New Wave Coffee - m4w (LoSq.) 29yr

"Wowee. Wednesday, March 10, (late morning) maybe you are/were with a friend. Sexy, straight dark hair, somewhat athletic get-up--boots and tattoos, etc. And then glasses! You're voluptuous and lovely. Then I saw you typing alone by a column.

Tall, good-looking lad (bespectacled) typing by a window would like a moment or two of your time."

You know what you did... - m4w (Birthday Train)

"You unilaterally made my day. I was outside smoking, looking at my iPhone FB alerts, thinking 'wouldn't it be cool if....'... and there you were, one minute later. I didn't want anyone else to feel less appreciated, because they aren't, so I'm saying it here: Extra-special thank yous to you. Don't tell the other kids, they wouldn't understand :)

I would love to see you out tonight, coincidentally or otherwise."

Scarlet's Michael - m4m (Boystown)

"I think your name is Michael. You're really cute and always so nice to me on Friday's! Are you dating anyone? What is your type? Most of the time I see you with this cute little lady or tie wearing guy

Signed,

Crush"

Blonde inside the diner in Logan Square - m4w (Logan Square) 29yr

"You totally eye-petted my dog as we walked past Johnny's Grill (I think that is the name...) yesterday afternoon. It made my dog confused. He now demands a play date with you, but we need to get drinks first so I know you won't hurt his feelings.

You were blonde, wearing a blue plaid shirt and eating with a friend."

CVS Pharmacist - m4m (LaSalle and Kinzie) 27yr

"I came in to pick up a prescription right when you opened this morning. I joked with you about drinking while taking medication. You're blond with, I think, a Polish last name?"

undercovers - w4m

"I just tried to put myself in your dreams.

did it work?"

I wanted to talk to you. I really did. - m4w

"So I'm kind of a quiet guy, it turns out. God has given people worse curses, from what I can tell, and from what I see every day.

But you. I wanted to talk to you. I didn't know how. Isn't that funny? There you were -- everything I've ever wanted and needed in a woman -- there you were. Standing there. Waiting. Listening. Sending those messages that women send: 'I'm listening.'

I didn't know what to say. It's been buried so deeply for so long that it didn't come out right. It came out like a complicated German narrative poem on crack, or like Joni Mitchell on a 40.

You were all, like, 'um. okay. whatever.'

Later, the words came out right, and they *were* right, but you were gone."