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A fresh word for joy? I’d be delighted!on July 11, 2020 at 3:17 pm

Margaret Serious

A fresh word for joy? I’d be delighted!

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Today’s Student’s Worst Psychological Damageon July 11, 2020 at 5:35 pm

The Amused Curmudgeon

Today’s Student’s Worst Psychological Damage

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The expression: “Fake it till you make it”on July 11, 2020 at 4:49 pm

Inside Out

The expression: “Fake it till you make it”

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The expression: “Fake it till you make it”on July 11, 2020 at 4:49 pm Read More »

Beat Stresson July 11, 2020 at 6:38 pm

Spiritual and Physical Wellness

Beat Stress

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Beat Stresson July 11, 2020 at 6:38 pm Read More »

Nicole Mitchell and Lisa E. Harris explore soulful Afrofuturist visions on EarthSeedon July 11, 2020 at 1:00 pm

A friend in Houston recently described multidisciplinary artist and space goddess Lisa E. Harris as a “force of nature” in the Texas scene and beyond. Upon investigation, I had to concur. Harris channels the Afrofuturism of Sun Ra, the transcendent devotionals of Alice Coltrane, and the deep-listening experiments of Pauline Oliveros–all while maintaining her own unique vision. Harris is trained in opera, and she can often be found playing theremin or synthesizers, but she also brings theater, spoken word, and dance into her colorful cosmic performances. Though I’m still getting acquainted with Harris’s work, I didn’t need an introduction to jazz musician Nicole Mitchell, her collaborator on the recent EarthSeed–in the late 90s, when she still lived in Chicago, I ran all over the city to see her with fellow local luminaries such as David Boykin and Hamid Drake. Mitchell’s visionary flute playing, as well as the compositional skills she displayed with her Black Earth Ensemble, blew my young mind. She left for California in 2011, then relocated to Pennsylvania in 2019 (she’s the chair of the jazz studies program at the University of Pittsburgh), but I was thrilled to see her in Chicago once again last summer for a concert celebrating the 50th anniversary of her frequent collaborators, the legendary Art Ensemble of Chicago. Mitchell had also returned to the Windy City in summer 2017 to perform with Harris at the Art Institute, where they debuted a new work titled EarthSeed, inspired by the dystopian science-fiction series of the same name by pioneering Afrofuturist author Octavia Butler. Mitchell and Harris were joined onstage by vocalist Julian Otis, cellist Tomeka Reid, violinist Zara Zaharieva, percussionist Avreeayl Ra, and multi-instrumentalist Ben LaMar Gay, and the group’s richly varied performance was recorded live and released last month as a double LP by Oak Park label FPE Records. The ensemble sound like they’re channeling music from another universe; on “Whispering Flame,” Mitchell’s flute weaves and buzzes like an intergalactic insect alongside Harris and Otis’s darkly operatic vocals. “Yes and Know” features playful call-and-response spoken interplay that suddenly gives way to urgent poetry and chants amid the glistening streams of Gay’s trumpet, the primordial swoops of Mitchell’s flute, and the rhythmic slashes of Zaharieva’s violin. “Moving Mirror” is an odyssey that begins with a free-jazzy wall of scrape, then segues into a propulsive cello riff before melancholy violin and frothing electronics cascade into the mix. The musical journey of EarthSeed defies any comfortable genre tag; it’s ritual, it’s soul exploration, and most important, it’s challenging, rewarding art. I wish I’d seen this incredible performance in person, but it’s comforting to know–especially now that live music is all but extinct–that this recording exists and can continue to transport anyone who listens. v

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Nicole Mitchell and Lisa E. Harris explore soulful Afrofuturist visions on EarthSeedon July 11, 2020 at 1:00 pm Read More »

Chicago Blackhawks: Schedule for “play-in” round is outon July 11, 2020 at 12:00 pm

EDMONTON, AB - FEBRUARY 11: Goaltender Mike Smith #41 of the Edmonton Oilers stops Jonathan Toews #19 of the Chicago Blackhawks at Rogers Place on February 11, 2020, in Edmonton, Canada. (Photo by Codie McLachlan/Getty Images)
EDMONTON, AB – FEBRUARY 11: Goaltender Mike Smith #41 of the Edmonton Oilers stops Jonathan Toews #19 of the Chicago Blackhawks at Rogers Place on February 11, 2020, in Edmonton, Canada. (Photo by Codie McLachlan/Getty Images)

The Chicago Blackhawks are going to dance in the “play-in” round and we know the schedule.

We finally have some more clarity on the next time we are going to see the Chicago Blackhawks back in action. We have known that they are going to play the Edmonton Oilers in a “play-in” series for a long time now. We now finally know the days and a little more about how it is going to work. The Hawks are going to play in the hub city of Edmonton with all of the Western Conference playoff teams while the Eastern Conference playoff teams play in Toronto.

There are going to be anywhere from five to six NHL games going on for the first five days and then it will depend on how many series get to four or five games after that. The Hawks open up against the Oilers on August 1st. Then, they will play them every other day for the first three games (August 3rd, 5th). Then, if necessary, they will play the Oilers in games four and five on August 7th and 8th.

The Oilers are deemed the home team in the first two and would be in the decisive game five if necessary. All of the games are in hub cities so it doesn’t matter from a crowd point of view but there are a few rules that favor the home teams. For example, the sticks on the ice for faceoffs rule favor the home teams and the designated home team gets to make the last line changes. That last rule is especially important in the playoffs when coaches start to play chess with their players.

Hot: Alexis Lafreniere would look great as a Chicago Blackhawk

This schedule is going to be no easy task for the Chicago Blackhawks. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl‘s Oilers are very good. They have their issues as they are a very top-heavy team but when you have two players like that on the same team they can be very hard to contain. The Blackhawks weren’t even that good of a team at all anyway so getting a second chance should be fun to watch. Now that the schedule is out, we can start getting excited.

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Chicago Blackhawks: Schedule for “play-in” round is outon July 11, 2020 at 12:00 pm Read More »

Chicago Bears: Mitchell Trubisky belongs in this QB tier for 2020on July 11, 2020 at 1:10 pm

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Chicago Bears, Mitchell Trubisky

Chicago Bears (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

Chicago Bears fans continue to be all over the place on where they believe Mitchell Trubisky belongs.

Quarterback tiers are a funny thing because, in the end, anyone can create them. The problem is, not everyone’s are credible — especially those who rank Chicago Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky a tad too high.

I completely understand how loyal Bears fans are — been one my entire life. The Bears are everything to me, like many others. However, Bears fans can be a bit blinded when it comes to the quarterback position. They always have been.

After all, this is the franchise that, while the Green Bay Packers have had Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers, has had to endure the likes of Cade McNown, Jim Miller, Rex Grossman, Mike Glennon and two dozen more taking snaps under center during the same time span.

Bears fans are starving for a franchise quarterback, and they will do everything they possibly can to cling to hope when it comes to a kid like Trubisky.

The thing is, Trubisky has a lot of athletic gifts. He is very talented. When he’s on, he’s one of the better, sneakier mobile quarterbacks there is. He’s great on his feet when he needs to be.

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But, the area where Trubisky lacks the most lies between his ears. It’s all mental for him. The issue has never been arm strength, mobility or any overly-serious injuries. The issue is whether or not Trubisky can accurately and intelligently diagnose defenses and make the right reads.

With an objective mind, where would someone say Trubisky ranks amongst fellow NFL quarterbacks? Why don’t we look at four specific tiers: Elite, upper, middle and bottom.

Next: Elite Tier

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Social Justice Centered Ice Cream Shop Putting Down Roots in Chicagoon July 10, 2020 at 5:21 pm

Though there’s no brick and mortar location yet, JUSTice Cream has recently initiated their campaign in Chicago to raise support about their social justice-centered, vegan ice cream brand. Founded by Hialy Gutierrez, JUSTice Cream is a nonprofit (mutual aid) vegan ice cream shop that is committed to donating 100 percent of its profits to fund and aid grassroots social justice initiatives.

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“I believe that most of the suffering in this world is the result of poorly wielded power,” said Gutierrez in a video promoting JUSTice Cream’s GoFundMe campaign. “I wanted to build something that would help redistribute that power, that would shift that power away from greed and exploitation, and that would ground that newly distributed power in community, integrity, and love.”

rainbow cone chicago
Photo Credit; Original Rainbow Cone via Facebook

View the Best Desserts in Chicago

Need even more sweets in your life? View our list of the best desserts in the city.

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View the Best Desserts in Chicago

The campaign has already raised over $9,000 dollars in a few weeks of the campaign launch, and the company has been very transparent about the funding they need to get a proper location and up-to-scale equipment. Much of the money JUSTice Cream is trying to raise is going towards hiring a full-time recipe developer that gets a solid salary ($65,000) and complete benefits. The fundraising also hopes to get a part-time support staff employee for six months. Once the location is up and running with full funding, the JUSTice Cream hopes to expand the team and offer more opportunities for people to be a part of the ice cream slinging team.

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Photo Credit: JUSTice Cream Facebook Page

Beyond redistribution of power, the team’s goal is to address social issues and misconceptions about them, such with as veganism and environmental exploitation. Every one their flavors is going to be dairy-free, and proceeds from each flavor will go to a specific cause or organization.

Their Fudge the Police flavor will give support to Black Lives Matter Chicago and while originally was comprised of mint and vanilla with fudge, the JUSTice Cream has recently added cookies into the mix. The Aboleche Ice, which is a strawberry ice cream with tres leches, will be supporting Organized Communities Against Deportation.

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Photo Credit: JUSTice Cream Facebook Page

Reparalines and Cream touts a cognac-infused praline sauce to accompany their vanilla bean ice cream, with funds supporting the Chicago Torture Justice Center. The Alliance of Filipinos for Immigrant Rights Empowerment will find their support from the Purple Root, which will get its color and flavor from ube, a purple yam native to the Philippines! Their final flavor, the Fried Dough Kahlo, a coffee ice cream packed with churros and chocolate-coffee swirls, supports Art and Resistance through Education.

Though there is no physical store yet, JUSTice Cream has been drumming up buzz about their mission through delivering pints in the community and selling their ice cream at pop-ups around the city, with their next one scheduled for July 25th. Once their distribution is down-pat through the fall, the team hopes to start offering out-of-state delivery.

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Tell us what you think matters in your neighborhood and what we should write about next in the comments below!

Featured Image Credit: JUSTice Cream Facebook Page

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Bruges create a Chicago noise-rock masterpiece on A Thread of Lighton July 10, 2020 at 9:00 pm

Chicago is a noise-rock city. It’s a gritty, working-class town built out of iron, glass, and dirt. It’s the home of Steve Albini, Touch and Go Records, and the Jesus Lizard. It’s never a surprise when a local band that embraces loud, grimy abrasion puts out a good album-it’s just what we do around here. But A Thread of Light, the debut full-length by Chicago four-piece Bruges, isn’t just a striking noise-rock record–it’s a mind-bending masterpiece. The group, whose members also play in incredibly loud noise and hardcore bands such as Moral Void, Den, and Angry Gods, had already been around for a few years when they put out the 2019 EP An Erasure of Form, whose doomy, high-volume Unsane worship I couldn’t stop listening to. But that release only hints at the heights they’ve reached on A Thread of Light. Pristinely engineered and played with next-level power and precision, the album drives like Tar, drones like Boris, and clangs like early Swans. The gloomy, furious spoken-word vocals of vocalist Patrick Nordyke bleed unhinged fury while the band pour out wave after wave of unrelenting, oozing distortion. Early Bruges material focused on repetition, but this time around their songs lean into progression and growth; each epic track is a creeping, twisting, turning, and evolving journey. Even in a city as steeped in noise rock as Chicago, A Thread of Light could wind up the best local rock release of the year. v

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Chunky Caramel, Kissing Coffee and Mellow Stormy — Petraits Rescueon July 10, 2020 at 12:33 pm

Pets in need of homes

Chunky Caramel, Kissing Coffee and Mellow Stormy — Petraits Rescue

©2020 CTMG – A Chicago Tribune website –
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Chunky Caramel, Kissing Coffee and Mellow Stormy — Petraits Rescueon July 10, 2020 at 12:33 pm Read More »