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Smashing Pumpkins Concert in Chicago

On Friday, my brother and I went to a Smashing Pumpkins / Marilyn Manson concert in Chicago at the FirstMerit Bank Pavilion. I was there for the Pumpkins and Marilyn Manson was just part of the deal. Manson went on first. Actually, a guy who referred to himself as the, “go get your beer” performer went first and he was not great and had far more anger than actual talent. Manson put on a pretty good show and played all of the expected hits.

The second picture in the gallery above show a little girl at the show. She was with her parents right in front of me and this was not a show fit for a little girl to see. Nevertheless, I don’t think she was scarred for life or anything. Between the constant aroma of weed, Manson explicitly describing how he would defile an audience member, and the opening act yelling, “Cunt” over an over again, I think she had a fun and new experience. I was taken to see Pulp Fiction by my parents at the age of 10 and I really enjoyed the movie and don’t think it affected me negative at all. The parents of the girl would constantly make eye contact when something inappropriate would happen and I realized my parents used to do the same thing.

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When Billy (The Smashing Pumpkins) came out I was really excited to see a band I had been listening to for so long in my youth. The second song he played was Bullet with Butterfly wings and that really set the tone the rest of the performance. Toward the end he played an acoustic version of Disarm followed by a cover of Landslide. This was a great combo to break up a rock show and I really enjoyed that. After one of their songs, Jim Cornelison (sings at Blackhawks games) came out and did the National Anthem, then immediately after, the band came in with guitar. It was an unexpected sight to see.

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Layla

I have my first dog as an adult. I have been looking for a Labradoodle for what seems like a decade. Actually, I was more, “Keeping an eye out for one” rather than active searching. Last weekend my spontaneous girlfriend brought one home!

She and my brother were on a trip out of town for a winery tour and I was home alone for the weekend, or at least Friday and Saturday. On Saturday, Katie told me that they had stopped on the way and put a deposit down on a dog. I only 10% believed her. She really enjoys trolling people and in this case she was the girl who cried wolf.

I went our for brunch with my parents on Sunday and my girlfriend and brother beat me home. I was ready to give them shit about the dog being there when a cute little doodle came walking toward me in the hallway. My immediate thought was that she borrowed the dog from a friend to trick me. It soon sunk in that the dog was ours, and my life had changed just a little bit.

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Las Vegas Visit

I just got back from my third trip to Las Vegas, NV. The first was with a group of friends, the second was just with my brother for business, and this one was with my brother and my girlfriend. I stayed at the Tropicana on the south strip. I have stayed there before on my first trip to Vegas and not too much has changed. There is a lot less of an artificial coconut smell than before and I actually missed that because I thought it would remind me of my first visit.

I ate like crazy there. Vegas has great food and my break from my diet was well utilized. The most damage was done at the buffet at Caesar’s. I drank several mimosas, and ate from every category they offered. I was as full as a tick.  We also went to the Eiffel Tower Restaurant for Katie’s birthday and the view was great and the food was pretty good.

On our last day, we took a trip out to the outlet mall and got some shopping in. I had never done this before on a vacation and it wasn’t bad. We all ended up buying leather jackets at a Wilson’s outlet. I didn’t think when I woke up that morning that I would be buying a leather jacket in spring but that’s what happened.

Vegas has the ability to just completely drain me. I have to walk everywhere, the buildings themselves are expansive, and there is so much going on at any given time. There are constant stimuli from the slot machines, people shouting at the craps tables, and the constant movement of people around you. When I got back home, I was drained and ready for some sleep to catch up. In contract, my last vacation was on a beach, at an all inclusive resort and each day was relaxing. I would just sit down by the ocean, read a bit, drink a bit, and talk with my girlfriend. It was great and I think I want to do something similar next time I get a few days off work. I think I need a few years break from Vegas to explore the rest that the world has to offer.