Episode 6 is up!!! We discuss The Book Of Mormon, Vine app, Xbox One vs. PS4 and the NSA Controversy. Hope you enjoy : ) 

Off The Grid goes off the grid

I read a study today that suggests the path to happiness is your cell phone. Or, lack thereof. Turning off your key to the rest of the world can actually make your life more fulfilling. Think about it. Instead of sitting with your phone, waiting for texts or notifications, you are actually interacting with society! Who woulda thought?

That said, I am conducting a little test on myself. I am turning my phone off, and only checking it every two hours for texts and voicemails. This is going to be very hard considering I am the most impatient person on the planet and I live for instant gratification. But, believe it or not, I've actually always wanted to go off the grid, and I have tried before, but I always give in. Not this time, nope! We will see how long this little experiment lasts....

Fifth podcast!!! We discuss technology and relationships with Jenny Milkowski. Also a overlook at the HBO show Girls with our friend Krysha. We also have some great music from band The New Diet, which will have an upcoming show on The Fireside Bowl on April 16 @ 7:30pm.

Jenny Milkowski info....
Website: http://www.jennymilkowski.com/
Twitter: @jennymilk

The New Diet info....
Website: https://www.facebook.com/thenewdiet
http://thenewdiet.bandcamp.com/

First Friday Canceled

Since I blogged about this event earlier, I feel the civic duty to let you know that First Friday Wicker Park is canceled. I heard this from one of the artists.

However, if you're still looking to explore your inner artist, I have another event for you to check out.

"Spring Attacks" art show
 Thirteen Pins Tapas & Bar
4202 W. Irving Park Road

Here is the facebook event page for more deets:

Spring Attacks  


See you there!
-Rachel

Are you artsy? Do you pretend to be?

Hey guys, I am checking out First Friday in Wicker Park tonight and I am pretty pumped. My good friend and artist Sarah L'heureux is showing some art. I hope to report back with my review of the event.

See you there?

-Rachel

Event Info: First Friday, Wicker Park

My New Addiction: HBO's Girls

Hi, my name is Rachel. And I have an addiction that runs very deep. Sure, I jumped on the bandwagon a little bit late in the game. But that doesn't make the addiction any less legitimate.

My latest vice is the show "Girls" on HBO. I finally got around to watching it this past week thanks to Comcast's "Watchathon" week, which was pretty amazing, BTW, but really took up alot of my time. I watched both seasons of Girls in 2 days. And then I watched both seasons again in 1 day. Don't judge me, assholes. 

There are alot of reasons why I love this show. The main reason being that it's incredibly thought provoking.  Like more than any other show I've ever watched in my life including California Dreams. After about half way through the first season, I texted several people in my phone "Have you ever seen Girls??! Its insane! We must discuss this show!" I have some seriously strong feelings about every main character.  Here goes.

The worst goes first. Hannah. Hannah is the main character on "Girls" and the show pretty much revolves around her insufferable and destructive behavior. I cannot stand her. There, I said it.  Although I have the feeling I am not alone in that sentiment. I disliked Hannah from the very first episode when she was pathetically hooking up with Adam, who very clearly was only using her for sex.  She kept going back to him - this guy - who was a total freaking tool bag and he wasn't even that cute. Hannah upsets me simply because she is an incredibly weak female with zero self-esteem and lets other people treat her like crap. And while there are times I actually feel bad for her, I mostly want to reach through the TV and slap some sense into her. For example, there is an episode where she receives a text from Adam, which is a picture of his penis.  Adam texts her back moments later, saying that the text wasn't meant for her (which is incredibly fucking rude, BTW).  So what does she do? Does she ignore him, like any self-respecting person would? No. She takes a naked photo of herself and sends it back to him. WHAT??! Who does that?  And then there is the gratuitous nudity.  Hannah is not exactly the Hollywood, cookie cutter, 100 pound standard of beauty that females have been forced fed for years. Which is totally rad and I'm not saying she is super overweight, but she is average looking at best.  So I applaud her for taking the risk and being naked...alot...on this show. However, there is a point where its just too much. I don't care what you look like.  You do not need to be shown playing ping pong, naked (that actually did happen in one episode, and I actually did want to throw up a little). As season 2 went on, my dislike for Hannah actually turned into pity.  She really has some major undiagnosed issues. Seek therapy. 

Speaking of insufferable bastards, check out this guy. His name is Adam and he is an awful human being. He also never wears a shirt. This is the man who Hannah is pretty much obsessed with the entire first season. And I have absolutely no idea why. I guess crazy attracts crazy.  Adam gave Hannah the run-around for months, but that somehow turns into this intense, romantic relationship, which is beyond me. I think the reason I dislike that situation so much is because I've seen it happen alot in my own life.  People regularly give other people the runaround.  That is pretty much one of the worst things you can do to a person. I wish people would just be more straight forward with other people.  Since I have long past learned my lesson in that area of life, all I want to do is slap other people who do this sort of thing (including the person being ran around, i.e. Hannah).  But this is a TV show, not real life, so I cannot do such things. Adam had a few (very few) redeeming moments. There were these moments where he actually came off as being smart and wise and a legit human being. Remember when he said "Don't waste time on guilt, Hannah. Holding on to toxic relationships is what keeps us from growing." You're so deep, Adam. I still think you're a dick though.

Now we have Marnie. Marnie is one of the characters I can actually sort of relate to.   Marnie is the cookie cutter, rule follower, in a long-term-relationship kind of girl - but neurotic on the inside (like most women).  She is also kind of drab and dull. She is dating Charlie, and decides after 4 years she is bored with the relationship and not in love with him anymore (he is super awesome and hot so I don't know what her problem is).  So she dumps him, but then freaks out when she sees Charlie is actually moving on and dating someone else (cue my life story). Marnie does some out of character things, such as show up at Charlie's work unexpected, and show up at his work party and drunkenly sings karaokee to Kanye West's "Stronger" ("Bow in the presence of greatness. Cause right now thou has forsaken us. You should be honored by my lateness. That I would even show up to this fake shit.") Marnie is clearly unstable without having a boyfriend, but I feel like alot of people have been in that position, especially after breaking up with a person after a long term relationship. So in that sense I sympathize with her because it really is hard to adjust to life in general after getting out of a LTR. So, in the long run, I am okay with Marnie, but I wouldn't necessarily want to be her friend for life because she is slightly neurotic and a total control freak. Also, why is she BFF with Hannah? That bitch cray. 

Which brings me to Charlie.  Charlie is legit the most normal person on "Girls." And he is super fucking hot but that is not the point.  I just learned today that Charlie quit "Girls" because of some disagreements with Lena Dunham.  I am not one to speculate (wait, yes I am), but I am fairly certain that Dunham was being insane and I totally take his side regardless. Anyways, Marnie kind of treats Charlie like crap.  They break up, and he moves on. I don't blame him. But then Marnie plays mind games with him, and they actually end up getting back together (sorry guys, spoiler alert). But now that he is leaving the show, I am super curious to see how they write him off.  Hey Charlie, since you are currently an unemployed actor, come on over boo, lets hang. 

I would now like to discuss Shoshanna. I am pretty sure I am Shoshanna. And I picked this photo because this is from the episode where she accidentally smokes crack and ends up running down the street with no pants or skirt on.  That pretty much sums up Sosh, and that is definitely something I would do, and probably have done, now that I think about it. Anyways, Shosh is the virgin of the group (she ends up losing her V-card but whatever) and is super innocent and naive. She also has major anxiety issues which come out when, in general, she speaks. At all times. But she is hilarious and I really really love her. She is super nice. She ends up dating this guy Ray, who, I will talk about later, but I like him alot. But he is just not her type. And that sucks, but Sosh deserves someone who can appreciate rainbows and pillows and ribbons. And that person is not Ray. Sorry, dude. 

And last, but certainly not least, is Ray. I really like Ray because he is someone I would never date, but I would definitely be his best friend, based on the fact that his bad attitude about life is merely comical. He is a crotchety old man who would scold a teenager for being on his lawn. But for some reason I find that hilarious.  The reason I like him is because he seems like a genuinely good guy. I was super happy when he started dating Shoshanna but I soon realized he wasn't the man for her because they are totally opposite of each other. While he is hilarious, he is also a very negative person, which can be very hard to deal with. Trust me, I have dated some negative nancies in my lifetime, and that is very hard to deal with, especially for a person like myself, who has a hot pink unicorn tattooed on my upper ass (yes I do, I will show you if you ask politely). I think he will someday find love, if he takes that stick out of his asshole. 

Wow, I will completely admit I almost forgot to write about Jessa. That shows you how much I care about this character. Jessa is Shoshanna's cousin, which is funny because they are so totally opposite. Jessa is the British, abortion-having, crazy cousin who randomly gets married to the dude from Bridesmaids (not Jon Hamm but the other guy).  She is the "wildcard" who travels randomly and is completely unstable. Her character is pretty attractive in the sense that I have always wanted to just not give a shit about anything and travel the world without a care. But honestly, who can actually live like that? Who can finance such a trip? Let's be real. But I like Jessa because I honestly respect people who just do not care and do whatever.  In a perfect world I would drop all my belongings and travel the world. But then I remember I actually have a life and responsibilities. But at the same time, I see she has no real relationships with people, and I believe she comes and goes as she pleases because she feels no real connections with people. And that, I do not envy. One thing you can count on though, is that her unpredictability is pretty damn predictable. 

So that does it for my character synopsis of the show "Girls." I am very excited for season 3, despite the fact that Charlie will be gone.  I hope for many more thought-provoking episodes!

Oops!

I just want to let everyone know that Soundcloud only allows us to post two podcasts at a time, which is why episodes 1 and 2 aren't up. We are considering upgrading our account, however, so we can post them all.

-Rachel

Here is the new podcast!! Hope you enjoy it. Please give us feed back or comments, we would love to hear from you guys.

Rilo Kiley!

So I am a very huge Rilo Kiley fan. I have been for years. They are one of those bands whose songs can literally bring me to tears if I am feeling abnormally emotional for whatever reason. I am incredibly excited for next week, because they have a compilation album coming out called RKives. It is supposed to feature seven unreleased songs. I AM SO EXCITED.

In honor of this event, I have decided to post some of my all-time fave RK songs. Enjoy.

-Rachel

With Arms Outstretched (probably my #1 RK song that I listen to like everyday)

Pictures of Success (bust out the Kleenex)

The Good That Won't Come Out

Hail To Whatever You Found In The Sunlight That Surrounds You

Portions for Foxes

Making Movies/The Noise FM Show

Hey y'all - so I haven't blogged in quite some time and I apologize. JK I'm totally not sorry.

So I went to a show at Township last night and it was pretty awesome. I am a fan of Chicago band The Noise FM and was pretty pumped when I saw they were having a show. I was even more pumped when my friend told me she was a big fan of the band they were playing with: Kansas City's Making Movies.

Now, I am the type of person who needs to be places on time. I am extremely punctual and will have a downright pseudo panic attack if I feel like I am going to be somewhere late. So the event's Facebook page said the show started at 8, so clearly, I showed up at 7:55. I thought it was kind of odd the show was starting so early, but I went with it.

Well I ended up sitting there by myself for a good 10 minutes before my friends showed up, who then berated me  because I am so punctual and forced them to leave the house before 11:00 at night, god forbid. Guys, the show didn't start until 10:00. So yeah, we sat there at the bar drinking PBR for 2 hours before the music began. Whatevs, its all good. #drunk

So I'm not going to lie to you because I am a truly honest person. I wasn't really paying attention to the first band because I was busy playing with the Nudifier app on my iPhone (it's hilarious, please download it), but they were not bad at all. They definitely had a Latin flavor.  After them, the Noise FM played. I first heard this band at a Toys for Tots charity event at Subterranean in Wicker Park. They are an indie-rock, keyboard-y band with some fast dance-y beats. They also sell Boy Meets World erotic fan fiction at their show, which gets a big thumbs up from me. I danced a little and swayed my hips to the beat like a true middle aged white man. They rocked it out though, for sure.

After The Noise FM played, my life was changed.  Making Movies took center stage. I had never heard them, but like I said earlier, my friend likes them alot so I was like, ok ok, this could be good. They were amaze. Making Movies is a very Latin sounding group but they also rocked the fuck out. The dreadlocked singer sang in Spanish, which, quite frankly, made me want to drop my panties a little bit.  Also the bass player was incredibly good looking but that is besides the point (hey boo, wanna hang? holler). The crowd went pretty cray cray for them.  Suddenly I turned into a classically trained salsa dancer. Everyone was just so into  it, it was so much fun listening to them play, although I had absolutely no idea what they were singing about, as I do not speak Spanish. But it didn't even matter. I was feeling the music. They ended their set with a song called Lo Que Quiero, which was a song with audience participation, and everyone was just feeling it. I was a sweaty mess by the end of it. The body heat was just too much.

So overall, both the Noise FM and Making Movies get an A. I am also super stoked about having a new favorite band, Making Movies. You guys rocked.

http://www.thenoisefm.net/
http://www.makingmoviesband.com/

-Rachel

Our new podcast is up! We have a really funny Sex Q&A session, and we interview the man behind Elephant Mixtapes.

Interviews n' Stuff

Hey guys! Rachel here.

 I haven't been blogging or podcasting for very long, but I have already noticed this sense of community within the blog/podcast/online publication group. Off The Grid has more views than I could ever ask for, and a bunch of cool twitter followers (we actually had 100 new followers within just one day!). Not only that, but both DNA Chicago and a student reporter from Columbia College interviewed me today regarding the Elephant Mixtape project. They both found me via internet, since I had blogged about it a couple of different times. Not only is it cool to get our name out there on different online publications, but it's also cool to meet other people in the community via blogging/twitter/random social network. It makes me wish I had started to podcast and blog earlier! 

Anyways, here is the link to our shoutout on DNA Chicago: DNA Chicago: Elephant Mixtape Project

 I will post the Columbia article as soon as its up.

Let's Talk About Sex

Hey y'all...

So for our next podcast, we are trying something a little different/awesome.

We are going to bring in a special, surprise guest to talk sex. But we need your help.

Off The Grid is looking for people who need sex, love and relationship advice, or just have general questions about those topics. We want to have fun with this, so the more ridiculous the questions, the better.

You can remain anonymous if you're ashamed of those burning questions you have googled in the wee hours of the morning. It's OK...we've all been there.

Send your questions to:

chicago.off.the.grid@gmail.com

We love you.

Porn Ban?

So, um, this is kind of awkward. Iceland wants to ban internet porn. Whats up with that? I thought the internet is the world wide web of whatever the fuck you want it to be. Here's the article:

Iceland Porn Ban

Podcast #2

Our new Podcast is posted!! Check it out here:

Off The Grid #2


We're talking about a lot of cool stuff, and we have a great interview with the director of the Heidelberg Project.

If I were you, I would totally listen to this podcast and enjoy it. A lot.

-Rachel 

Woman Dies From Drinking Too Much Coca Cola

We all have our "things" right? Well this woman's "thing" killed her.  She apparently drank about 2 gallons of Coca Cola every day! Can you imagine drinking that much of anything???  Check out the article:

Woman Dies From Drinking Coca Cola

The Heidelberg Project

Something I have taken interest in within the past year or so is the City of Detroit and how artists are working to uplift the city.  What was once a community rich in culture and industry, is now a struggling city filled with thousands of abandoned homes.  One group in particular is putting in a huge effort to turn the city around and turn abandoned homes into art: The Heidelberg Project.

The Heidelberg Project is an outdoor art project in Detroit, Michigan. It  was created in 1986 by artist Tyree Guyton and his grandfather Sam Mackey ("Grandpa Sam") as an outdoor art environment in the McDougall-Hunt neighborhood on the city's east side, just north of the city's historically African-American Black Bottom area. The Heidelberg Project is, in part, a political protest at Tyree Guyon's childhood neighborhood began to deteriorate after the 1967 riots. Guyon described coming back to Heidelberg Street after serving in the Army; he was astonished to see that the surrounding neighborhood looked as if "a bomb went off." (source: Wikipedia)


Words don't do justice to the Heidelberg Project. Take a look at some of the photos.

source: statementsinfashion.net

source: woodlandshoppersparadise.blogspot.com

source: hookedonhouses.net

source: monkeypuzzleblog.com

We interviewed Jenenne Whitfield, Executive Director of the Heidelberg Project.  She gave a  very inspiring interview about the city of Detroit and why art is so important in communities. 

Check out the full interview on our podcast!

The Heidelberg Project: Official Website

Craigslist Joe

So I was browsing Netflix a couple of weeks ago looking for a documentary to cover on our podcast. Up until a couple of weeks ago I had been really into watching docs with super heavy topics, and I wanted to lighten up the mood a bit. That's when "Craigslist Joe" caught my eye.

official trailer for "Craigslist Joe"

The movie follows a guy, appropriately named "Joe," as he travels the country, with the goal of living off the website Craigslist for a month. So he gives up mostly everything - and embarks on his journey with only a cell phone, laptop computer, toothbrush, and the clothes on his back. No money, no means of transportation, no nothing. 

The movie is really inspiring in that it shows you first hand that there are good, generous people out there in the world. Joe meets some incredibly giving people on the adventure.  Through browsing Craigslist ads, he gets free rides all around the country and even ends up in Chicago (where he stays with a dominatrix woman. Way to represent, Chicago!), and his hometown, Arlington Heights. He spends the night at the homes of people who are generous enough to open their doors to him. He experiences cultural exchanges that he might otherwise never experience, if he wasn't making this movie. I think this is the whole point of the movie.  To show people that in a world of war, chaos, financial burden, illness and crime, there really are people out there who are helpful, trusting, generous, and generally good. 

The only complaint I have is that I really would have liked to see the moments where he was having trouble and the moments, if there were any, that he had any sort of negative, emotional breakdowns.  There were a couple moments in the movie where Joe was having problems finding places to stay, but it always turned out positively.  Where are all the moments of homesickness, frustration and stress that I feel anyone would go through during a time like this? Joe, is there a blooper or behind-the-scenes reel we can watch? It would have made the movie seem more real if we got to see this kind of stuff, too. And where were the creepers? I usually associate Craigslist with a)The Craigslist Killer, b)creepers in general or c)people trying to find sex.  Although I have to admit, I actually sold my car to a guy from Craigslist and it was a good experience overall and he definitely did not turn my skin into a lampshade. 

So long story short: Craigslist Joe is a pretty good movie! It's inspiring and feel-good.  It's an easy watch, and at the same time, is entertaining and really makes you think. 

 Craigslist Joe Official Website

-Rachel

Elephant Mixtape: Follow Up

I wanted to share the list of songs that were on the Elephant Mixtape I found (if you don't know what I'm talking about please refer to my previous blog).

Side A (elephant mix)
1. Megan Roberts - I Could Sit Here All Day
2. Adriano Celentano - Prisencolinensinainciusol
3. Tim Rose - I Knew These Two People
4. Apollo Smile - Let's Smile
5. Jimmy McCracklin - Let's Do It (The Chicken Scratch)
6. John Martyn - Don't Want to Know
7. Unknown (written by Cole Porter) - My Heart Belongs to Daddy
8. Louise Huebner - The emotional Bondage Spell
9. Odetta - Sail Away Ladies
10. Nektar - Recycle/Cybernetic Consumption
11. Butterbeans & Susie - Elevator Papa, Switchboard mama
12. Dschinn - Rock N Roll Dschinny
13. Jack Bonus - Aye Que Lyn

Side B
1. B-Movies - Moles
2. Francis Lai - Spring Time Ballet
3. The Ambassadors - Gary, Indiana
4. Theo Bikel - I hear the Laughter
5. Colyn Davies - The Hearse Song
6. Leona Anderson - Rats in my Room
7. Country Funk - Apart of Me
8. New Elecktrik - Lust of Berlin
9. Tom Cora - Cruelty and Memory
10. Cozmic Corridors - Dark Path
11. Mike Batt - Zero Zero
12. Elsa Lanchester - At the Drive In
13. Skreem - Winner Takes All
14. Third World War - Teddy Teeth Goes Sailing

Okay, so, I wasn't really into alot of this music. The songs are very obscure and not stuff I would normally listen to. There were a few songs I liked: "Moles," "Apart of me" and a few others. A lot of it was instrumental or just really really old. There was an instrumental one on here that Portishead clearly sampled so that was kind of cool to hear.

So, I struggled making my mix because I got rid of 99% of my cds last summer. I have a few stragglers though, so I had to use those. I don't normally repeat artists so much on mixes, but I had to do that alot here (good artists though!!!! although I put Chief Keef on there just to be an asshole)

Side A (my mix)

1.  Freak These Tales - Murs
2. Percussion Gun - White Rabbits
3. Sure Shot - Beastie Boys
4. Elephant Woman - Blonde Redhead
5. Clique - Kanye West, Jay-z, Big Sean
6. Tonight, Tonight - Smashing Pumpkins
7. Soco Amaretto Lime - Brand New
8. Free or Dead - Atmosphere
9. Don't Like - Chief Keef ft. Kanye West & others
10. You're All I've Got Tonight - Smashing Pumpkins
11. Biz Markie & Beastie Boys - Benny & The Jets

Side B

1. Cold - Kanye West
2. Misery is a Butterfly - Blonde Redhead
3. Bad Man - Murs
4. Meladori Magpie - Smashing Pumpkins
5. Eli - Caribou
6. The Shower Scene - Brand New
7. They Done Wrong - White Rabbits
8. Alive - Beastie Boys
9. 4:30a.m - Atmosphere
10.  Adjust - Atmosphere
11. 33 - Smashing Pumpkins
12. Egg Man - Beastie Boys
13. High Plains Drifter - Beastie Boys (cuts off in middle of song, boo)

Mixtape Chicago

Rachel here.

So I feel sort of guilty for not keeping up on this blog. I have kind of been focusing on my twitter    (https://twitter.com/chioffthegrid ) game lately. It is legit hard to keep up with both, on top of a podcast, and then on top of an actual job that I moderately take seriously.

Anyhow, I stumbled across something pretty cool and I wanted to share. It's called Elephant Mixtapes.
So basically, a guy makes 10 mixtapes every month and hides them around Chicago. He puts up clues on his website http://elephantmixtapes.com and your mission is to find the tapes. Once you find a tape, you take it home, light some candles, put the tape in the cassette player, get into a bubble bath, soak in all the musical goodness (and bubbles), get out of said bubble bath, make a copy for yourself, and then make a new mix and hide it somewhere else, for someone else to find and enjoy.

I don't know about you, but I think this is a pretty cool idea and a cool way to listen to new music and spread the music you enjoy to others.  I really like making mix CD's for people. Ricky and I both like sharing with others the music that we like. It is a big part of my life.  That is why I was so excited when I actually found one of the tapes earlier today.  Yes, I found one of the Elephant Mix Tapes!

check out this picture of my mixtape via my Instagram page MY ELEPHANT MIXTAPE, YO

If you're totally uncool, you may say mixtapes are outdated. Okay, you're probably right. In fact, yes, yes you are right. But up until recently I was still making them because my car only had a tape deck (and a car phone. That's right, my 1994 Toyota Camry had a mother f*cking car phone, get over it).  I had no CD player, therefore I had no choice.  But there is just something nostalgic and cool about making mixtapes.

So, check out the elephant man's website and start looking for those mixtapes.  You will be glad you got to hear some new music and make a mix of your own.

P.S. Ricky and I recorded a new podcast last night and it will be up in a few days. It's going to be great, I promise!

We are no longer Podcast Virgins

Here it is, all wrapped up with a shiny bow and everything. Our first podcast. Check it out!!

http://bit.ly/WksKRX

if that doesn't work:

https://soundcloud.com/tcpfkqhyxhnb

Podcast Coming Soon!

For those of you already reading our blog, thanks for stopping by! We will have our first podcast ready to go in the next day or two. Until then, check out the blogs we posted for a preview.

Follow Us on Twitter

We will be posting updates on our blog as well as our Twitter page. Follow us @Chioffthegrid

You know you want to!!! Do it! 

Micro Living. Could You Handle It?

courtesy: NY Times

When on thinks of small living quarters one usually things of a studio, a trailer home, a tent used by Native Americans or the roaming Mongolians, even the charming life style conditions of far eastern cultures of China or Japan. But these fail in comparison to the recent trend of a micro living style.

Cramming your life to a small living situation is a test on to itself that requires discipline and a true appreciation of the basic needs to “survive.” The world of “McMansions” and Cambridge homes bursting out of nowhere to capture our attention and filling us with a sudden insatiable desire to live well beyond our means is being replaced with the realization that all that space is just not necessary. The first thing that 3 bathrooms, 7 bedrooms, 4 floors of endless space, brings to mind is “What am I going to fill this with?” It’s just more spare space to fill, more things to buy and more money to spend when it most likely will end up in a storage facility. When is it enough room? Does anyone even that much room anymore?

Three places that have started to embrace and understand this cultural living shift are New York, Chicago and from the other side of the pond, Poland. The idea of smaller living conditions isn’t new, or on par with the invention of the wheel, but it is re-inventing it to today’s urban lifestyle of the ever growing population, economic struggle, and self awareness that the more room you have, the more junk you have to fill it with.

courtesy: NY Times

New York City planners are currently developing living spaces “the size of a modest hotel room” to target their issues with space and the growing population. The apartments will be 325 sq ft, breaking city regulation with consent of a minimum of 400 sq ft. Their influences come from Tokyo, Hong Kong and even Italy, places where a smaller lifestyle is common ,the target audience being singles.

Chicago takes this a step further with apartments are as small as 150 sq ft. The cost being dramatically lowered but not with the intentions of just targeting lower income communities but to continue applying the idea of gentrification, taking away the misconception that smaller apartments and small living is meant for poorer individuals. The challenge here being the smaller space and how to truly make it livable and not making you feel crowded.

courtesy: NY Post

In Poland, this has become more a focus of creativity and reinvention, than necessity for space. Jakub Szeczesny, member of the experimental architecture group Central has developed an intriguing was to develop a structure in between buildings, what is known to us as a “gangway” in Chicago. The structure is full with amenities, bed stove, bathroom, even a reading nook. 

 courtesy: design-milk.com

Topics to cover/discuss:

Is it something that could catch on, or in some cases spread?

How has the economy as a catalyst, open people to these ideas?

Could you see yourself changing your lifestyle to pursue a simple living quarter?

Can this be a way to get people more active and involved in the community?

How do you see this affecting the post recession individual who now rethinks his or her steps toward making it to the American Dream of middle class?

Does it prolong it?

Mindy Kaling's "Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me and Other Concerns"

I just read Mindy Kaling's book (the one with the really long title that I don't feel like typing out again) and I thought it was excellent.

The book is a memoir where she talks about her childhood, how she got into the television business, her time writing and acting on “The Office” which was very interesting and funny, and other things ranging from her love for romantic comedies, to her confusion about one night stands, to revenge fantasies she plays out in her head while she works out.

So obviously, since she is a female comedy writer, everyone wants to compare her to Tina Fey. Which is difficult to do, because they have very different styles of storytelling.  The reason why I really liked Mindy’s book so much is because she is just so easy to relate to.  There were so times I caught myself nodding my head in agreement to some of the things she was saying. She has this whole section about men vs. boys. She says men, for example, own alarm clocks. Sleep on a mattress that isn’t on the floor. They buy new shampoo instead of adding water to a nearly empty bottle of shampoo. They don’t wear Velcro shoes.  Boys, on the other hand, can pack up their life in a duffel bag and move to Brooklyn for a gig if they need to. They make amazing, memorable, homemade gifts.  They are impulsive. They can talk for hours with you in a diner at 3 in the morning because they don’t have regular work hours. But they suck to date. 

I have had the man vs. boy conversation with many of my friends which is why when I was reading it, I was like, I am not the only person who thinks this way!!  I could give you so many examples from this book that I can relate to and I think a lot of other people can relate to also.  This is why I liked her book so much.  I loved Tina Fey’s Bossypants for lots of reasons.  But if you want something relate-able, read Mindy’s book. Tina is like the girl in class that you think is really cool and smart and popular and you want to be just like her. Mindy is the girl in class you play dolls with at recess while talking shit about your fellow classmates.

Something I really enjoyed about “is everyone hanging out with me and other concerns” were all of the parts where she talks about her best friends.  You don’t usually hear about celebrities and the type of relationships they have with their best friends and it was kind of cool to learn about Mindy’s personal life in that way.  She has one chapter called “Best friend rights and responsibilities” and I liked it so much that after reading it, I typed the whole thing out, word for word and emailed it to my best friends.  Its kind of long so I will just read to you some of them. 1)We sleep in the same bed.  If we’re on a trip or if our boyfriends are away, and there’s a bed bigger than a twin, we’re partnering up.  It is super weird for us not to share a bed. How else will we talk until we fall asleep? 2) I can ditch you, within reason. I can ditch you to hang out with a guy, but only if that possibility has been discussed and getting-ride-home practicalities have been worked out prior to the event. In return, I need to talk about you alot with that guy so he knows how much I love you. 3) I will hate and re-like people for you. But don't get mad if I can't keep track. Robby? Don't we hate him? No, we love him. Okay, okay. Sorry. 4)If you are depressed, I will be there for you. As everyone knows, depressed people are some of the most boring people in the world. I know this because when I was depressed, people fled. Except my best friends. I will be there for you during your horrible breakup, and you can tell me a hundred times the same sad stories about how you thought he was going to be the one. I will be there for you to tell your long revenge fantasies to, and also to Facebook stalk whoever you want. I know I will hate it and find you really tedious, but I promise I won't abandon you. And the last on the list, No two people are better than us. We fucking rock. No one can beat us.

Official website for the book:

http://theconcernsofmindykaling.com/the-book

Applebees Has Social Media Disaster

Applesbees has a social media meltdown.

It all started last month after a waitress at a St. Louis Appleebees lost her job for posting online a receipt showing that a pastor crossed off the default 18 percent tip and wrote a snarky note saying, "i give God 10 percent, why do you get 18."

After her firing caught wind on the internet, a mob of social media users then took the Applebees' facebook page leaving tons of comments against the restaurant's decision to fire her.

Applebees posted a status update on their Facebook page, saying they wish the situation didn't happen, but its against their policy to post personal information online about their guests, including meal checks. That did not help the situation. Thousands of people started making comments on the status update, saying how terrible Applebees is and how their food sucks and how terrible they are for firing the waitress.

But the story does not end there. Applebees started making comments on its own status update, repeatedly trying to explain themselves, and allegedly deleting negative comments and blocking people from its Facebook page. So people start getting even more furious about being censored.

At this point it is 3 in the morning.

This social media nightmare continues for a few more hours as thousands of people continue to comment on Applebees' status. They end up "hiding" their original post so no more people could comment.

Some of our Talking points:

This is a great case study for PR and social media college classes. As a social media director, what would you have done in the situation?

Was it a bad idea for the waitress to post the receipt to Reddit and should she have been fired?

How important is facebook/twitter/social media in  general for the image of not only companies, but for regular people also?

Do you think Applebees lost business because of this?

Valentine's Day Events in Chicago

Whether you are single, dating or married, there are some fun events going on in Chicago on February 14th.  Here are our top choices:

Valentine’s Day Events

“Make up Make out” party

Ladytron DJ Set

Beauty Bar, 1444 W. Chicago

9pm, no cover

“Nerds at Heart 6^th Annual Love Fest”

Rebel Bar & Grill, 3462 N. Clark St.

7pm, $30 

Play board games and participate in other activities with "nerdy" singles from Chicago at this event, which also features drink specials, prizes and giveaways.

"Screw Cupid Pub Crawl"

7pm, $5 for unlimited trolley rides

Take unlimited trolley rides between McGee's Tavern and Grille, Duffy's Tavern and Grille, Durkin's Tavern, Redmond's Ale House, Wrightwood Tap, and Maeve for themed specials including $4 Ketel One Cocktails, $3 Cupid Punch and $3 Bud and Bud Light

“Puppy Love 2013”

The Copa, 1637 N. Clybourn Ave

8pm, no cover

Celebrate the romantic holiday with your favorite companion - your dog. Guests can enjoy $4 Dogfish Head drafts and $3 greyhound cocktails while their dogs can enjoy free plush toys and dog treats.

"A Very Special Valentine's 'Nude Hope: A Star Wars Burlesque"

Gorilla Tango Theater, 1919 N. Milwaukee Ave.

9pm, $28-$35

See a Valentine-themed performance of the long-running burlesque show based on the "Star Wars" films, in which Luke Skywalker is a sexually frustrated farmer who attempts to rescue Princess Leia with the help of the she-hunk Han Solo and her Wookie companion who never wears pants.

“Sunset Serenade”

Arts N Spirits, 1921 N. Damen Ave.

7pm, $40

Create your own painting on two panels or a single canvas. Sweets are included.

“Champagne is Made for Two”

RM Champagne Salon, 116 N. Green St.

$95, 5 p.m.

Enjoy an 8 course, prix fixe meal with your loved one, featuring oysters, foie gras, scallops, venison loin, tropical fruit, apple struden, chocolate crunch, coffee and cruellers.

The Red Chapel

In our first podcast, we mentioned the movie "The Red Chapel" as we were discussing cannibalism in North Korea.

Wikipedia says it best:
"The Red Chapel" is a 2009 Danish documentary film directed by Mads Brugger. It chronicles the visit of Brugger and Danish comedians who are adopted from South Korea, Jacob Nossell (in the wheelchair) and Simon Jul to North Korea under the pretense of a small theater troupe on a cultural exchange.  This is also the first time the two comedians have ever visited North Korea."

This movie highlights the extreme cultural difference between North Korea and the rest of the world, and also how much the government there regulates "entertainment." A highlight of the movie for me, was when the group was made to take part in an anti-American march in North Korea.  Very creepy to think that these types of things happen in this modern day and age.

 The movie actually has some funny moments, but also some sad and even frustrating moments.  We highly recommend this movie! And YES it's available streaming on Netflix. 

Here is a link to the movie's IMDB page:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1546653/

Cannibalism in North Korea

I'm always hearing bizarre news regarding North Korea -- the most isolated nation the world.  This latest story is something I found exceptionally interesting, er, disturbing.

Reports of cannibalism are surfacing in North Korea -- a nation suffering from widespread famine. "Asia Press" reports a North Korean man was put to death by firing squad after he ate two of his children. The man reportedly killed his daughter while his wife was away on business. He then killed his son -- a witness to the murder. When the wife came home, he offered her food, saying "we have meat." Another man reportedly dug up the corpse of his dead grandson to eat his flesh. Last spring, a drought wreaked havoc on crops in North Korea, causing a famine..and human rights groups estimate 10,000 people have died from starvation last year alone. The reports of cannibalism come at a time of renewed tension between North Korea and the United States. The country's leader Kim Jong Un recently started the U.S. was its sworn enemy and vowed to restart nuclear and long-range missile testing.

For the full story, here is the story in the New York Daily News

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/report-starving-north-korean-father-resorts-cannibalism-article-1.1250773