Kickstart My Subway Line!

I can't believe I forgot about this until now (sorry Nick!) but I wanted to give a shout out to an artist friend of mine named Nick Azzaro (http://www.fotoazzaro.com/). Nick's currently working on raising funds for an art installation in the Chicago Blue Line subway tunnel between Clark/Lake and Washington stops. I think this is kind of like what the New Jersey Path trains do with advertising, but cooler. He's gotten the company Submedia to agree to install his animation "flipbook" for $18,000, the cost of materials only (no labor costs). The idea is that there are hundreds of images and spotlights in the train tunnel, and the speed of the train will turn his artwork into an animation that 150,000 riders will get to view out of the train windows every day.

Anyways, Nick doesnt have the $18,000 lying around for this project, so he's gotten the backing of a program called Kickstarter where people can learn about the project and make donations. The way it works is that if you donate any money, you won't actually get charged for it unless he meets his funding goal by September 1. Check out the video and if you can, please consider supporting the project. Either way, it would be just dandy as candy if you could please pass this along to friends.

Here's the Kickstarter link: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/fotoazzaro/the-chicago-blue-line-animation-project

Here's an article about Kickstarter in the NYTimes: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/25/technology/start-ups/25kick.html?_r=1&em

2 Days 'Til Minnesota, and Counting...

I know, its a silly, silly thing to be taking a vacation when there is so much wedding stuff to do but I SWEAR we planned this trip last fall - before Mike proposed. So, there.

Not too much to report here, other than our impending trip to MN (complete with a week at Rainy Lake!). We're going to try and jam pack the first couple of days with tedious wedding-related activities. But, other than that, I'm looking forward to lots of time spent on the water, and time spent relaxing. One of the hardest (and dorkiest) decisions for me is which books I should bring. I am nearly finished with the Omnivore's Dilemma, so that one will inevitably stay home. My library book (three cups of tea) is due next week so that one needs to stay too. But, I've got a couple on my bookshelf that are still waiting to be read, so I might bring a couple of those. Or, I'm #1 on the hold list at the library for Blood Meridian, so I'm crossing my fingers that it will be ready before tomorrow. Not holding my breath though.

Just a couple of photos here today for you folks. This first one is from Jeremy and Erin's going away BBQ this past Saturday on Shannon's roof. Unfortunately, I only had my cell phone on me to take pictures, and you can't see a thing. But, I assure you the view (and the company) was stunning!

Jeremy, Erin, Shannon, and Mike enjoying a warm (and dark) summer night.

This is a random photo from last Thursday in Chelsea. That white pointed building (Credit Suisse, I think) is actually illuminated by a stray beam of sunlight on an otherwise cloudy evening. So pretty.

The ESB on the same night, also sharing some of the day's dying light.

I took this one on my lunch break a couple of days ago. Shows one of the "jumper" statues on the roof across from MSP and the Flatiron Building. Some good, Michigan-style clouds too.