Blonde on the Eisenhower & Madison Street - m4w (inbound) 35yr

"You: gorgeous, blonde, driving an Infiniti SUV (I think). You hastily veered off on 17th Ave and drove down Madison through Maywood, River Forest and Forest Park. We made eye contact as I pulled alongside. I said 'Wow,' and you smiled and enjoyed the rest of that cigarette. I'm in love."

Sexy can I? - m4w (North/Sheff) 42yr

"Me: Casual, life enthusiast, people pleaser, sensual, careful, hunter/gatherer

You: Peppy, bouncy, hip shaker, nature lover, sexy all around.

Us: Happy, tickle fights, whip cream madness, mixed babies, LOVE

Give us a chance, meet me at the corner of north ave and sheffield. I'll be the one holding a carnation in my lapel."

The Reader - w4m (#36 Bus - last Wednesday) 30yr

"You sat down next to me on the bus (#36 northbound) last Wednesday night & asked me what I was reading. We talked about our books (you - Madame Bovary, me - Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil), bookclubs & how we're both bucking the literacy trend. I had to get off at Buena & started kicking myself immediately for not asking if you'd like to get a coffee some time. Care to help me with this?"

sorry - w4m (west)

"I liked you, a lot. I'm sorry that you have issues, and I'm sorry I can't handle your issues due to my issues and I'm sorry I have mine own separate issues. Most of all, I'm sorry that it didn't work out, I really was hoping it would. I miss you. My heart is a bit broken."

through it all - w4m (Russian blue ) 31yr

"I saw a little life for us. Of animals and flashlights, sex toys, movies, kungfu pandas, fashion, chicken breasts, english muffins, bad movies, feet curled together. And when I was with you I did not care as much about fancy shoes or fancy food. I was so happy having not very much, but just curled in your arms at night. And when I walked the halls of your office a few weeks ago, every pretty girl made my stomach churn and I got very scared thinking of the reality of which I'll never know, because when your glass is not half empty or full, and you just finally feel full, pouring it out and the process of re-judging the value breaks your heart.

and these days I am trying very hard to do my best. and to be honest I am really tired. and lonely, and heartbroken. and struggling every day to make my head right and still be kind and smile at people. and I manically clean and drive order, hating and wishing my love for you so great, that I forget to care.

my primordial love love love you. I can only lie so long to myself."

Starbucks (Tuesday, March 9th) - m4w (Armitage and Sheffield) 30yr

"We were facing each other in the leather chairs in front of the fireplace. You were wearing black tights with a skirt and passing the time working with a ball of yarn but didn't get that far before getting up to leave. I was too shy to say anything at the time. I also was unsure of your age. You seemed younger and there are a lot of DePaul students in this area as you could imagine.

Please put what color yarn you were crocheting (spelling?) in the subject line when you reply. If you put the right color in the subject line I will respond."

"It's like Maggie but with an E, Meggie." (Loop - Michigan Ave.) 28yr

"I already had dinner and came to meet my friends for a beer, but because of you 'Meggie' I ended up ordering wings and way too many beers. I doubt a girl like you would be reading things like this, but its worth a shot.

You - were - awesome. My initial reaction was holy shit she's hot, but then you also became cute annnnnd funny! I admit to looking through MC's occasionally after reading an article, but I have never posted one, until today. I want to take you on a date somewhere and make you laugh (I liked your smile). I am determined to have atleast a drink with you, even coffee or tea. I will be back to your place of work.

I was the guy with brown hair wearing a shirt and tie. You - blonde and gorgeous."

Metra Train 3/7 to Fox Lake (FOX LAKE) 23yr

"You were on the night Milwaukee Metra Line to Fox Lake. You have a broken hand? WE caught eyes a few times and gave each other a smile. All I could think about was asking you your story, where you were going? What you were doing? What happened to your hand? Before I could my stop came up. Next time I see you in this world, I will stop to ask."

at first i thought you were following me... - w4m (trader joe's) 22yr

"but it turns out we really were just going to the same place.

we sat across from each other on the train, and i thought you were super cute. unfortunately, i was listening to a really good song at the time, so i was a little distracted. plus i'm awful at flirting with strangers. clearly. anyway, we both got off at addison, and considering the fact that we were the only two people exiting the train, you were standing veeeerrryy close behind me. or hey, maybe you stand that close to all your fellow train-exiters. in any case, just as i was crossing lincoln, cursing myself for not at least smiling at you, you reappeared, right behind me. and then you followed me all the way into trader joe's... where you work. what are the odds? i don't really need to tell the rest of the story at this point, because if this happened to you around 5:30 today, you're likely the right one.

anyway, just know that you're pretty cute. we should awkwardly maneuver around each other at the tropical carrot juice stand again sometime

re: hammer's anvil

"This isn't for me, but it rang true in how I feel about a man. When you want to understand and it all gets mixed up and you say the wrong thing, or do the wrong thing because you're not sure what exactly is happening. For once I just enjoy time with somebody and am more comfortable than I have been in years and just wish to understand why and what, even if only friends, it is supposed to be. I take it for what it is and enjoy what little time I do get with him, it's all I can ask for.

You are not alone. And it's nice to see that men go through the same things as women sometimes."

To be your hammer's anvil - m4w

"I want a charmed try. Connection does not need enhancements of romantic, physical, or mental. Why am I instantly at ease with you? I have run into other women after I've made a mess of things. Sure, I made some rather smallish talk, but I was astounded at the time. I told you I'd had a feeling I'd see you there. I slipped, because its not something I would really want you to know, especially after my clodding about. I just spoke what I was thinking, because it was absurd. There you were, right in front of me. I had/have no expectations. I only hope it really was good to see me, and that you weren't in freak-out mode, trying to be nice so as to expedite your escape. Anyway, so I kinda admitted that I still think of you, yet I do see how I did not heed boundaries. As I said at the time, I'm sorry I didn't. But I'm not sorry I know there is a connection. It's not about music, literature, art, etc...

Simply put: I'm supposed to know you. You're supposed to be on my mind. I'm meant to be at ease with you. I'm not sorry for any of that. I can't explain it, or determine the 'hows' of this. Not meant to be lovers? Fine. But how? How are we meant? I wouldn't be at all surprised if none of this means a thing to you, if you don't ever think of me, if I am just some weirdo (Gonzo was my guy, anyway). Nonetheless, I am telling you that it is there, and you haven't recognized it. We are not meant to go our separate ways, it's that simple. I've had crushes, this is not a crush. This is the undercurrent, driving me to thoughts of you. This is much more special than I care to admit, to anyone. Partially because I don't understand it, partially because I'm the only one who has witnissed it, and the balance because upon seeing it, I gushed it from the proverbial mountaintops sans echo. I hate that I did that; telling you everything the way I did. I do not recieve compliments well, and having that perspective, I wish I would have saved much of it. You close my circuit. From a million miles away, you close my circuit. My ones and ohs streamed out so fast, beating my mind's tempering pace by a country mile. If I ever run into you again, I'm not going to waste it. I'm going to buy you a beer, and see if you just wanna hang out for a couple minutes. I need to un-weird this, so whatever it is that's meant can be. That's all I know."

you at filter reading 'i know why the caged bird sings' - m4w (wicker) 28yr

"there you were, in a black top with dark pants and converse sneakers (which went well with your haircut that reminded me of uma thurman's character in 'pulp fiction--so cute), reading 'i know why the caged bird sings,' while sipping coffee from a cup that must've been one foot tall. i never saw the front of the book, but i could tell it was maya angelou from the picture on the back, her subtle, subdued and lonely look. a baby on the floor next to the couch we were both sitting on kept putting a green plastic toy on your right shoe. the goodness of you struck me, observing your simple smile at this naive and cute kid.

do you remember me asking you politely to watch my bag while i stepped away? that was a pathetic excuse to say something to you. i'm shy."

LOVE this one.

Re: loving with no target - m4w

"Thank you.

I could have wrote that. I love with reckless abandonment.

I love because I love, because I am loved, because I AM love.

Love,
mike"

Love with no particular target 31yr

"I'm so in love. But the insane part is that I'm not quite sure if there's a specific WHO or WHAT that's the object of my affection. Yet I walk around sparkly-eyed, constantly sighing, and just plain full of love. Woe unto whoever or whatever crosses my path...because they'll probably end up being victims of all this unexplained warmth and affection.

I know it's nuts... I know that people guard themselves from loving each other because it potentially sets them up for a lot of hurt and disappointment.... I know that many are incapable of accepting or returning it [and that's ok]... I know that some will think that I'm carelessly tossing around the 'L' word... But it doesn't change how I feel. In contrast, and in all sincerity, nothing hurts worse than holding back this emotion.

It makes me want to randomly do good things and bless people when they least expect it... it makes me want to embrace friends/strangers/acquaintances just because.

Sometimes it gets lonesome...because people don't understand, or they aren't in a place to accept it, or they don't know how to react. But for the most part, I'm at peace with it [though some days are definiely harder than others].

So even if I don't fully understand this part of me, my gut is telling me to stay true to it. Why not? Everything has lined up for me so far, and maybe this is why.

xoxoxox"

Yes, Chicago is the most sentimental city on earth. Must be something in the water...

SW flight from STL to MDW - w4m (Lakeview) 28yr

"This seems quite silly and fairly pointless..but..

We chatted a bit on our flight from St. Louis to Chicago...about books/authors, running on the lake, half/full marathons, loving the city...

So, I guess if you see this and are interested, we should continue the chat over coffee or drinks.

And, because this is quite bold of me to post and by the sheer chance you see this...just to make sure it's you...where did you mention that you would like to someday run a marathon?"

So you're six feet tall in heels? - m4w (Wicker Park) 30yr

"I approached you at the bar in Debonair. Alas, you were with some other guy. And as a gentleman, I wasn't about to trespass on that. But we talked for a moment. And there seemed to be a spark.

It's safe to say that we're both tall, striking, and intelligent. But are you available?

A."

At Pick Me Up today, late afternoon. - w4m (Pick Me Up Cafe)

"You were sitting alone up by the window today at Pick Me Up. You were on the 'bar side' (I always still want to call it the 'smoking section'). You were chubby, had brown hair, brown beard, and glasses. You kind of looked familiar to me, but I am not sure. I thought you were cute and for some reason was really inclined to go up to you and ask if you wanted to hang out sometime, and I normally would do this as I have little shame, BUT..I was on a first date and didn't want to be rude. If this is you email me, and let's hang out sometime.

PS: Being in the restaurant/bar industry myself I am sure that the PMU staff hangs up all missed connections somewhere to make fun of the people who post them. That is what we have done everywhere I have ever worked. So...tell that guy about this as I got the impression he was a regular."

Farewell to ‘The Hills,’ With a Wink and a Nod

From the ArtsBeat Blog at the NYT:

"“The Hills” ended on Tuesday with a wink to all the fans and critics who have questioned its semi-scripted nature over the years.

After Kristin Cavallari said goodbye to her former boyfriend, Brody Jenner, on a quiet street, the Hollywood sign gleaming in the distance, the camera pulled back to reveal that Mr. Jenner was standing on a studio backlot, implying that the coming-of-age-in-tinseltown stories were never as real as they appeared."

The end of the Hills; the end of an era (or sideshow.) Here's what I remarked after first watching: "I found myself oddly moved by the finale, the obligatory photo montage, the labored attempt at narrative closure, the confused attempt at being 'self-reflexive' at the end; the genuine pathos of Brody and Kristen's mismatch; the utter absence of Speidi and L.C.

New Opera Focuses on Bill Clinton's Life - Washington Whispers

From U.S. News & World Report:

If any recent president's life is the stuff of operas, it's Bill Clinton's. There's been comedy, drama, back-stabbing, shouting, crying, death, and many miraculous comebacks. But that's real life. Now art will be imitating life in a project coming together in Little Rock and meant to show how his struggles as a kid raised by a fun-loving mother influenced the making of the 42nd president.

File this under bleh. This might be interesting if Clinton didn't support it--in fact, was actively fighting to have it stopped--but with his support, it is sure to be hagiography.

Shoes -- Yes, Shoes -- Inspired By Ernest Hemingway

From ArtsJournal:

"'Hemingway was very fond of loafers,' said Patrick Hemingway, the writer's 82-year-old son. 'A lot of celebrity endorsements are phony, but not in this case. Hemingway had a great sense of style. He especially loved leather boots from Madrid.'"

Haha, I believe it. I even believe he had 'a great sense of style.'