Chipotle

I walked past my local Chipotle restaurant yesterday around lunch time and there was only one person inside eating. On a typical Sunday afternoon, that place would be packed but not now. No one wants to take a chance that the burrito ordered might come with a side order of diarrhea. I haven't had a chicken bowl or anything from Chipotle in weeks. It's sad because I like Chipotle, but I just don't want to take the chance that I'll get sick from the food especially since the company can't seem to pinpoint the source of the E. coli outbreak. Until some additional information comes to light, I'm keeping my distance from Chipotle.

Enthusiasm Curbed

My sister has been in a tizzy lately over the hit Broadway show Hamilton. (She's going to see it next year.) She's downloaded the soundtrack and she keeps up with news about the play and its creator, Lin-Manuel Miranda. She's also trying to get me to be as enthusiastic as she is about the show, but I'm not biting. History and hip hop? Thanks, but no thanks. I just can't get into it. I listened to some of the show's music during our drive from Detroit over Thanksgiving, but I can't say I enjoyed any of it. Nothing against Miranda (I'm glad he's out there doing his thing and putting people of color out in front in a Broadway show), but historical battle raps just aren't my cup of tea.

My enthusiasm was further curbed when I watched the indie movie Tangerine over the weekend. This movie, about two transgender prostitutes, was supposedly filmed entirely on iPhones. If that's true, I commend the director(s) for doing an excellent job. The movie looked good. I wish I could say the same about the movie itself. The dialogue wasn't really more than one person after another cursing at someone and there wasn't much of a plot either. But I will say I thought the film presented a realistic view (or what I think is a realistic view) of street sex workers and how they live very hand-to-mouth. They say pimpin' ain't easy? Well, ho'ing ain't no walk in the park either, apparently.

Dry Bubbly

I just watched Michael Buble's Christmas special and found it quite dry this year. He didn't even seem to be into it. Other than Celine Dion's numbers and Bubbly's finale of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" the show was kind of a bust for me. The comedy skits were lame and his family wasn't even there. Last year's show with Babs Streisand and the one the year before with Mariah Carey were much better. I think having the show in Hollywood this year rather than New York helped to put a damper on it. Plus, Bubbly didn't really do a lot of songs that I liked. (The Chipmunks' song? Really, Michael? Sigh.)

Santa Baby?

I just want to go on record and say that I'm not a fan of sexy Christmas songs like "Santa Baby" and "Baby, It's Cold Outside." Since when did Christmas become a sexy holiday? Uh, never? During the Christmas show I went to last Saturday night (see my previous post), a few of the drag queens performed "Santa Baby." This song is just wrong for Christmas. Slip a sable under the tree for me? No! Not that I'm against gift giving during the holidays, but asking Santa for a fur coat because you've been a "good girl" seems sleazy and self-indulgent.  Now I have nothing against sleaze and those who read my books should know that by now, but I do have something against sleazy Christmas songs. Something more clean and fluffy like "All I Want for Christmas (Is You)" is perfectly fine with me. But songs about pimping yourself to Santa for a sable just go too far!

No Bueno

I went to see the Chicago Gay Men's Chorus perform their holiday show "Miracle on Thirty Funk Street" last night and, sadly, I found the show disappointing...so much so that I left during the intermission. The chorus itself was very good, but the comedy skits and solo numbers in between were no bueno. I kept watching thinking things would get better, but they didn't. (Maybe the second act was better, but I didn't stick around to find out.) I expected to see entertaining performances with great singing and dancing, but what I got was amateur hour at a community theater. I should have known when "Uptown Funk" closed out the first act (I hate this song--sorry Bruno Mars) that it was time to go. I saw a much better gay-themed holiday show at Hamburger Mary's in Chicago a few years back. I wonder if they have a show this year as well. I should look into that.

Sad Clown

When I was in Detroit last week for Thanksgiving and attended the Thanksgiving parade, I was shocked and saddened to see how the balloon of the clown (who really serves as the parade's mascot) was in such bad shape. That poor clown float looked terrible, as you can see from the picture my sister took. His clothing was peeling and it was clear he'd been patched many times. I'm surprised the parade folks even saw fit to let him roll down Woodward Avenue for this year's parade. It's time for a Kickstarter or Go Fund Me account to get a new clown balloon. The parade company's site does take donations so maybe that's the place to begin. The parade clown is supposed to be happy, but this clown was just sad. I love clowns and it breaks my heart to see this one in such bad shape.

Now What?

So Rahm Emanuel fires police chief Garry McCarthy (finally) and now what? Business as usual? Rahm should have fired himself too, but I know he won't do that. The City of Chicago and the whole State of Illinois are a mess. Double-digit murders pretty much every week, no state budget, no lottery payouts over $600, dirty cops, dirty school leaders. Can things go any worse around here? Possibly. I do hope with McCarthy's ouster that some serious changes happen with the police force that reduce the shootings in Chicago and clean up the police department. And I'll end this post with a message for annoying Daily Show host, Trevor Noah who "joked" that he wanted to come to Chicago but was afraid of getting shot. Here's my message to him: STFU.