you can do it with your MC 505

currently spinning: self-compilated disc of later-era Bis b-sides + rarities.
(they are were damn prolific, weren't they? O.O;; have almost everything they put out, but it's a damn lot of stuff to lug around...)

currently drinking: sugar-free Red Bull.
(odd turn of events, the existence of this. it's a bit saltier than normal Red Bull, but not bad. although i generally hate aspartame on principal, so i prolly will stick to fully leaded in the future.)

weekend was far too short, as usual. got out of the house, though---which was quite nice. Spaz and i hit Chicago Comics, which we hadn't done in a long time. unsurprisingly, i found loads of stuff i needed wanted. for one, i've been lagging way behind in issues of Charm School (squee! the Vampire Dragster Dean story arc! <3 <3) for quite some time now, so i scooped up everything i was missing quite eagerly. there's also a Magical Witch Girl Bunny figure out now (Monkey Fun, of course), which comes with a little tiny book of love spells. didn't get that, but did get to see it in person---and it's pretty nice. i think Bunny looks a teensy bit thinner than in the comics, but overall rather nice.

also picked up two Blue Monday items; the Absolute Beginners TPB and also the new one-shot, "Nobody's Fool." already told Fionachu this, but Ms. Clugston-Majors has a new 6-parter coming out starting in the middle of May (also via Oni) called Scooter Girl. in case, y'know, you're interested.

and lest my normal cute-to-twisted ratio should be severely compromised, also grabbed Everything Can Be Beaten, by the lovely Mssrs. Chancre Scolex (snerk) and Crab Scrambly. average day full of kittens coming out of chutes indeed.

afterward, off we went to eat nyummy Thai food at Once Upon A Thai and see the Cowboy Bebop movie.

neither of us had previously been to Once Upon A Thai. it had just opened shortly before Blackout! (my favourite record store, which was just a few doors down) had closed---i'd swiped a few bites of noodles from my friends who'd worked at the record shop before, but never had any food of my own from them.

it was really, really good. fairly average prices for Thai food around here; nice service, and good food. the restaurant itself was rather dark, which was nice---i prefer a bit of dimness to too much light. i resorted to chicken pad siew---which actually tasted the most similar to the way my mom used to make it than any i've had in a restaurant. wonder why i've not tried to make it before now? i really should. hrrm.

Spaz had beef noodles, and i'm still trying to figure out what the beef was marinated in. it was REALLY, really good. we traded bits back and forth, and it was quite a lovely meal.

now, here's the thing. the entirety of the afternoon was spent tromping around in areas where i'd spent a good deal of my childhood, but hadn't really been in quite some time (bar the comic shop). in doing such things, it's always interesting to see what's changed and what hasn't, of course.

but what really rather amazed me is that even though i'd known where the neighbourhood was going for quite some time, it's one thing to have the concept firmly embedded in one's head. it's quite another thing entirely to see the actuality.

weird things---little family-run plumbing shop still open, but loads of things torn down to make way for overpriced condos and lofts. more bars and yuppie eateries cramming in and elbowing up against local pub/pizza places and such. not really any more chain activity than had been there previously (a Jewel and Osco, a Starbucks, and a Kinko's), but still more of that nondescript "look! it's a bar!"-ness going on that makes you think it's part of a chain.

also, permit parking up the arse. and speed bumps on many side streets! O.O;; all things that hadn't been there before. it made me a bit sad, the way it's built up---not because it's changed, but because of what it's changed into. it had been on this path for ages, mind---but witnessing the gentrification trouncing on my childhood was kinda grating.

next entry: off to the Music Box for the movie (at last!)...