You got a start at an early age playing in the funk rock band Triptii.  Do you feel your overall youth hindered the success of that band?

If  often times feels like my feet are still wet from Triptii, haha. Not too long ago a bartender at Schubas said to me “Hey, weren’t you in a band called Triptii!?”. I get a kick out of that because we were indeed, so young and innocent, but we had our frosted tips and we played our reggae music and people seemed to connect with it. Shockingly, when we hit the age of 22 or so, we no longer had a connection to the music we were playing so it only seemed natural to move forward.

How difficult was it to venture on your own and leave the band world behind?

It was like the very last episode of a beloved sitcom. The guys and I met at a local bar. I fumbled on words, they listened politely. We smiled on the past and toasted to the future (Insert end credits with lovey-dovey saxophone music). There was never really a sense of “Goodbye” only a feeling of “Man, that was fun”.

What ultimately led to the demise of the Young Sea, your most recent endeavor, even after such critical and local success?

The only thing I can imagine upon reading this question is that scene from Forrest Gump when he’s running and there’s a crowd of people pacing behind him, trying to catch up. That’s kind of how I felt, I suppose. Except my beard wasn’t as outrageous and I wasn’t wearing a trucker hat. But yeah, as we got older, it got more and more difficult for the other guys to keep up with my personal ambitions, and it got more and more difficult for me to keep up with theirs. We were all in completely different places in our lives and finally I just had to stop running and say, “I’m kinda tired. I think I’ll go home now”.

After the break up of the band, was it a natural progression to move towards a solo career?

Yes, it definitely was. Writing music will forever be the one thing that keeps my blood flowing. Even if that means working part time at Starbucks for the rest of my life, I can’t imagine I’ll ever walk away from it. What’s amazing to me is how much I learn about myself through songwriting. I often times feel a certain way about someone or something, but I never fully understand it until I scatter my thoughts on paper. I just sit back and say, “OH, so THAT’S why she doesn’t love me..”

You have a new record coming out in the fall recorded by Jon Alvin and Matt Sobotka. I had some fairly brief interactions with Jon when he was ran Big Gold Studio with my friend Dan. He seems like a great fit for what you are trying to accomplish. How has the recording process gone to this point?

It’s been a challenge. When you’re recording with a band, there’s always those stupid little arguments you have with them concerning the mix, guitar tones, harmonies etc.. But now that I’m on my own, the only person I have to argue with is myself and I’m a total pain in the ass, haha. But no, the whole process has been a serious ball of fun. One of the most rewarding parts about having played in bands for the past six years or so has been the incredible people and musicians I met along the way that are graciously contributing to my album. Jon Alvin and Chris Faller gave the songs a fresh, new confidence and Matt Sobotka has been very patient and passionate in making sure the songs sound great. Overall, I’m very proud of it. Especially for my first album as a solo artist, so I can’t wait to release it to the public.

Your new stuff has a familiar feel but it  is different than your previous bands, was this a concerted effort or did it just come naturally?

I think at the end of the day, it’s easiest for me to just sit down on my bed, pick up my acoustic guitar and scribble in a notebook. When I began writing these little folk songs in my bedroom, It was like I was meeting myself for the first time. I had never been that honest with anyone, including myself, and here I was just effortlessly squeezing every last drop of myself into these songs. It was terrifying.

If you could make a pitch to a label, why would they want Kevin Andrew Prchal among their ranks?

I’d say, if you like what you hear, sign me while you can before I lose all my hair. Nobody wants a sad, bald guy on their label’s roster. I mean Daughtry was successful, but he probably rides a Harley and wears leather.

For long time followers, your music has taken quite a journey. Are you happy with where your music is now?

My music has definitely taken me on a journey. It’s funny when I look back on how I got to this point and what a natural progression it’s been considering all the many styles of music that have made an impression on me. I grew up listening to a lot of 90’s punk rock and alternative like Bad Religion, Face to Face, Pearl Jam etc… It was then punk rock that led me to Sublime, which led me to The Police, which led me to The Clash, which led me to political and social conscience music like Bob Dylan and Nina Simone, which led me to various folk and soul music such as Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, Ryan Adams, Ray Lamontagne etc.. My songwriting would be just a little bit different today had I not discovered just one of those artists. I wonder where I’ll be in twenty years. Opera? Show tunes?

What is next for you?
Well, my immediate plan is to get off the computer and take a shower. My career driven plan is to release my baby (record) out to the public this Fall and play my little heart out in support of it. I got a long journey ahead, but it’s certainly going to be a fun one.

Kevin Andrew Prchal is playing two special, intimate acoustic shows at the Double Door in Chicago. I am honored to be performing on one of those shows. The show dates are Monday, July 13th and Monday, July 20th. Tickets are $5.

http://www.doubledoor.com

http://www.myspace.com/kevinandrewprchal

And so opens the Black Eyed Peas’ new record, The E.N.D. (Energy Never Dies). The deep, warped voice is kind of what God would sound like if She were a black man. It would also be kind of trippy to hear if one happened to be high while listening. Just sayin’.

<lies>I’d like to begin this review by stating that I am going to be as objective as possible and try to separate myself from my bias toward will.i.am, apl.de.ap, Taboo, and Fergie-Ferg’s Collective Ferosh Fiercenessness.</lies>

This band is the Boom! Awesome Bomb.

Actually, one of the reasons why I LOVE this album is because dancing and partying take up big chunks in the pie chart of my life. The E.N.D. is a strong proponent of that lifestyle, so I don’t feel nearly as bad about myself.

This is totally true. Just kidding. No, it is.

If I could party all night and sleep all day
And throw all of my problems away
My life would be easy

…is the chorus on a track called “Party All Night.” The command “party all the time” is repeated 44 times (I literally counted), and the song ends with Fergie saying in her most seductive voice: “I’m so tipsy. Iiii’m so tiiipsyy.“

Yes. Yes.

I also have a penchant for saying ridiculous things and being obscene, so that factors into why I am crazy about this record: “You can get electric shock from my flow/Bitches on my dick?/Oh no, they on my dildo.”

The E.N.D. is a dance album. It’s great to blast while getting ready to go out, the songs sound killer being played loud at a club, and its major theme is HAVE A GOOD TIME AND LIVE IT UP. The second disc even includes remixes of their past hits, and they, too, are Boom! Awesome Bomb.

The beats are super club-worthy with lots of repeating phrases: “I got a feeling that tonight’s gonna be a good night, tonight’s gonna be a good night,” “I’m missing you, missing you,” Out of my head, out of my head,” “Electric city. Electric city,” “I want it now! I want it now!” “and of course Will.I.Am is shittin’ on y’all with the “BOOM! BOOM!” You’ll be able to sing along to most tracks before they’re even halfway through.

If you absolutely need to your music to be shrouded with deep, insightful lyrical content, this record may not be for you. HOWEVER, it is worth noting that BEP’s overall message with this record is positive, while also making accurate social commentary of the zeitgeist of the present era.

“We do so much instant analysis of everyday occurrences — Best Hour Ever! — that a recap of 10 years seems unnecessarily massive. Last week’s news already seems like a rerun. Gary Condit? The AOL/Time Warner merger? Hanging chads? God, did we even have TV back then?” -Deadspin article on the decade; the 2000s, or (as they refer to it as) “The Aughts.”

The column discusses how we’re approaching the end of the decade, but looking back, it seems quite uneventful, and most things cloud in comparison to 9/11. I must disagree with the declaration; the 2000s were the birth and development of the “Now Generation.” And in the song by that title, it sums up the decade. “Just ask Barack who brought the hope. It was the NOW Generation.”

Myspace in your space
Facebook is a new place
Dip divin’ socializin’
I’ll be out in cyber space
Google is my professor
Wikipedia checker
Checkin my account
Loggin in and loggin out
Baby I want it..NOW!

-“Generation  Now”

The second to last track, “One Tribe,” takes on a slightly more insightful topic–unity and peace. Living in this era of fear, fighting, selfishness and greed has taken its toll, and is so unnecessary. Coming together makes life so much better.

It’s all one blood, don’t care about your face
The color of your eye or the tone of your skin
Don’t care where you are don’t care where you been…

I don’t need no leader
That’s gonna force feed a
Concept that make me think I need to
Fear my brother and fear my sister
And shoot my neighbor
Or my big missile..

Let’s cast amnesia, forget about all that evil
That evil that they feed ya
Remember that we’re one people

Preach it, Will.I.Am. Can I be a member of the Church of Peas?

A lot of The E.N.D. is really Boom! Hilariousness Bomb. There are classic lines: “You make me wait, I whup your ass.” In “Now Generation,” Fergie belts out “I want it now!” over and over, just like Veruca Salt from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, British accent and everything. She doesn’t yell like a Brit through the entire song  (just for a verse), but it’s funny as hell.

In “Out Of My Head,” Fergie stops the music halfway though. “Hold up, hold up, hold up!” she says. “How does the bridge go? Ah, I think I drink too much. Oh, wait I know it. Okay okay. HERE WE GO!” and the funky bass groove resumes as Fergie belts:

I’m stepping out of here
Cause where I’m going
I don’t know
I’m stepping out of here
Cause where I’m going
Is out of my head

You know what I mean when I say she “belts,” right? Fergie’s belting is a G-L-A-M-O-R-O-U-S version of yelling. Think of the argument in the middle of the song “Shut Up” from Elephunk, their 2003 Grammy-winning record. Fergie has a pretty singing voice, but she also knows how to bring it from the gut. She’s a great vocalist, and uses her instrument in so many ways. In “Electric City,” a track with heavy Jamaican dance hall beat influence, she takes on a persona akin to Lady Saw. “Meet Me Halfway” has a super-dancey 80s feel to it, and the chorus’ chord progression sounds a lot like part of Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time.”

This record is not one that starts out hot and fades toward the end. EACH track is fun in its own way; all unique, spanning different styles of pop/hip-hop/funk. Fact: It’s probably impossible NOT move when you’re in the general listening vicinity of one of these songs.

More notable lines:

“You don’t want to have sex with me? Then why you keep texting me?/Cause if I’m callin’ at 2 in the morning, it only means one thing, baby.”

“Y’all niggas wanna talk shit. Why don’t you put it on a blog? Rockin like this is my job.”

“I’m the thriller of Manila in the Filipino.”

And of course, my current favorite is “I Gotta Feeling,” which is the second single rocking the airwaves. The chorus was my Facebook status a couple days ago because it is the STORY OF MY LIFE:

Tonight’s the night! Let’s live it up! I got my money! Let’s spend it up! Go out and smash it! Like oh my God! Jump off that sofa! Let’s get up! Fill up my cup! Mazel tov! Look at her dancing! Just take it off! Let’s paint the town! We’ll shut it down! Let’s burn the roof! And then we’ll do it again.

They even throw in a “la chaim.”

Really, the Black Eyed Peas are on to something here. A friend of mine was at my place as I was listening to this record, and in response to the lyrics from “I Gotta Feeling” and “Party All The Time” lamented, “That’s not very realistic. Life isn’t that easy. ”

Are you kidding me? Life REALLY is that simple. You don’t need to be a millionaire to HAVE FUN. What’s the use in getting caught up in the Swine Flu Fear Mongering or the nightly reports on murders and the rising rates of unemployment? 9% of the country is unemployed? Well, that means 91% OF THE POPULATION IS EMPLOYED. Chew on that. [Did I do the math correctly? Numbers aren't my bag.]

People say to “live each day like it’s your last, and live in the present moment.”  Who can’t benefit from a healthy dosage of fun times making memories, laughing, drinking copiously, and letting your cares go as you dance with a group of the people you love? Maybe one shouldn’t do it EVERY DAY (but trust you me, it IS doable…ahem), but the point is to enjoy your life because we only have one, and the days are numbered.

One day very soon, the Black Eyed Peas WILL be my BFFs. They sound exactly like all my current friends are, anyway. Seriously- watch the video for “I Gotta Feeling.” Tell me that everything that happens in this video isn’t what your nights out look like: It has everything from the getting ready in the vanity, to the dancing in the dark with your arms in the air, to the drunken stumbling around the streets at 5 a.m., falling over laughing with your friends.

Music Videos - Video Playlists - New Music

There are plenty of Black Eyed Peas fans from the pre-Fergie days who are all, “Eff that fugly bitch! They were SO much better before they went ‘mainstream.’” Doesn’t that get old? It happens a lot (Read: Incubus, Fall Out Boy, No Doubt) but at the end of the day, you make the decision to accept and at least give chances to the art that is created as bands evolve over the years. And I know a lot of fans fell off after the ridiculous “My Humps,” but you can’t deny that that song was CONSTANTLY IN YOUR HEAD.

“Easy come, easy go; now we on top.” I mean, can you really argue with that?

La chaim! To life!

GET THIS RECORD NOW.

p.s. Shame on Perez Hilton for getting into it with Will and Fergie. DRAMZ!

Many felt that the era had ended in April, when the Bears traded for Pro Bowl quarterback Jay Cutler.  I was not convinced.  There was no question that Cutler would take on the starting role.  Coach Lovie Smith even indicated that Grossman didn’t factor into the team’s 2009 plans.  Yet I believed that there was a slim possibility that the Bears might sign Grossman as a backup.  After all, the team had showed unshaking confidence in Grossman since he was drafted in 2003.

Friday, the Houston Texans announced that they had signed Grossman to a one-year deal.  Three quarterbacks are already on the team’s roster and Grossman will compete for the third-string job.

Rex Grossman’s tenure with the Bears was a proverbial roller-coaster ride for fans.  He saw limited playing time at the end of his rookie season, ultimately breaking his finger.  He played three games the following season before being sidelined with a knee injury.  In 2005, he broke his ankle during a preseason game, eventually returning for the final two games of the regular season and one playoff game.

At the time, it seemed that Grossman was more fragile than a Precious Moments figurine.  Fans questioned his durability and wondered whether the Bears had squandered yet another first-round draft pick.

Grossman stormed out of the gates in 2006 season, quieting many of his critics.  In four out of the first five games, he logged impressive passer ratings of 98 or higher.  He was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Month in September.  “Sexy Rexy” was the toast of the town, and Bears fans were convinced that the team had found its first elite quarterback in over half a century.

Then the wheels came off the Rex Grossman Family Fun Ride.

Grossman became wildly inconsistent.  Stellar performances served as the bookend for dramatic failures.  A three touchdown game was followed by a three interception game.  Fans wondered whether “Good Rex” or “Bad Rex” would show up for games.  The nadir of Grossman’s season came on New Year’s Eve when he threw three interceptions on twelve attempts and earned a nice round passer rating of zero.

Grossman was marginally competent in the Bear’s first two playoff games, earning the team a trip to Super Bowl XLI.  He completed more than 70 percent of his passes in the title game, but turned the ball over twice.  One interception was returned for a touchdown and the Bears fell to the Indianapolis Colts, 29-17.

Coach Lovie Smith again named Grossman the starter in 2007.  After poor performances in the first three games, he was benched in favor of antique quarterback Brian Griese.  He later returned to his starting role after Griese sustained an injury to his deteriorating carcass.  Upon his return, Grossman returned to his incredibly inconsistent 2006 form.  As the season drew to a close, Grossman again injured his knee and Kyle Orton assumed the starting role.

Orton’s ascension to starter was the beginning of the end for Rex Grossman.

By that point, Grossman had become the most polarizing figure in Chicago sports.  During the 2007 season, fans incessantly argued about whether Grossman or Orton deserved the starting role.  On sports radio, a sound bite of Lovie Smith proclaiming that “Rex is our quarterback” became a running gag.

Grossman was resigned for the 2008 season and played in a backup role.  He appeared in three games and drew the ire of fans, despite offering mediocre performances and guiding the team to a win in his first game back.

In many ways, his departure is a foregone conclusion.  Many fans were ready to move past the Rex Grossman era after the 2007 season.  He had little impact in 2008 and he is now simply a part of Bears lore.

::

Grossman’s enigmatic Bears career was unlike anything that I had seen before.  Never before has a Chicago sports figure been simultaneously celebrated and maligned by fans.  In 2007, the Grossman versus Orton debate had become incredibly heated, dividing Bears fans into two distinct camps.

One year later, Grossman had become a villain of sorts.  Many fans detested the mere sight of Grossman in a Bears uniform.

Grossman’s irregular statistics are often attributed to his “gunslinger” attitude as a quarterback.  While the term has become trite by uninspired sports writers, it is quite applicable to Grossman’s style of play.  He is a risk taker who prefers to throw the deep ball and struggles with the short game.  Granted, long passes are far riskier, but Grossman seems to think that screen passes are for pussies.

Rex Grossman always played with passion.

Many times, the risk would pay off.  At the start of the 2006 season, Grossman’s performance was breathtaking.

Other times, such risk-taking would result in dropped balls, turnovers and a nearly unwatchable game for Bears fans.

The vitriol spewed about Grossman is a result of the tortured history of Bears fans. The Bears’ quarterback woes are legendary.  In nearly 90 years, the franchise has sent only two passers to the Pro Bowl.  In the past two decades, the Bears have changed their starting quarterback approximately 676 times.

The flashes of brilliance seen from Grossman at the start of the 2006 season elevated the hopes of Bears fans.  The team had finally found its franchise quarterback.  Multiple championships were inevitable, as was Grossman’s enshrinement in the Hall of Fame.

Grossman’s subsequent struggles became a crushing, collective disappointment for the city.  Living legends are not supposed to throw four interceptions in a game, nor should they post a passer rating of 1.3.

Despite his struggles, many remained faithful in the mercurial quarterback.  The trip to Super Bowl XLI further heightened their hopes.  Once the Bears harnessed Grossman’s raw talent, it would only be a matter of teaching him the steps of the Super Bowl Shuffle.

When Grossman played poorly at the beginning of the 2007 season, the last remaining faithful felt betrayed.  They grasped at straws for find an answer.  Clearly, something was clearly wrong with the kid.  He had all the talent in the world, but lacked the work ethic, toughness or desire to lead a champion.

Fans demonized Grossman as a football antichrist and wanted him on the next plane out of town.  Last week, they finally got their wish.

::

Such hatred is completely inexplicable.  Despite his flaws, Rex Grossman is a talented quarterback.  He was simply unable to perform to the colossal expectations set for him by fans.

By all accounts, Grossman is a good guy.  In general, his teammates liked him and supported him as he struggled.  He doesn’t have a huge ego, was cognizant of his failures and did not blame his teammates for his errors.

Chicago is a city that has embraced sociopaths such as Dennis Rodman, Dave Kingman and Jim McMahon. Megalomaniacs such as Sammy Sosa and Frank Thomas were treated like heroes.  Fans lionize Brian Urlacher, despite his clear disdain for the media and frequent inability to offer more than monosyllabic grunts in response to questions.

Yet the city treated Grossman like a flatulent leper with swine flu.  In no way did he deserve such scorn.

With his tumultuous Bears career behind him, Grossman heads to Houston to compete for a third-string job.  The Texans have an established starting quarterback in Matt Schaub, so his future is unclear. He may toil away in obscurity, or he may once again ascend to the prestige of a starting role.

While the former outcome is far more likely, I am hoping that Grossman finds some level of success in the future.  I admit that has ruined many Sundays for me, but he also provided spectacular performances made it uncommonly delightful to be a Bears fan.

The 2006 season was incredibly enjoyable as a Bears fan.  Granted, Super Bowl XLI was terribly disappointing, but the playoff run was highly entertaining.  Grossman played a huge role in leading the team to the big game, and for that I am grateful.

Farewell, Rex Grossman, and thanks for the memories.

Sweeney Unleashes a Bomb in the 6th. Picture is of a fat womens softball player, but I imagine this is what it looked like.

The Monkey’s, coming off a string of tough defeats, looked to reclaim their position as the best up and coming team in the league as they squared off against the oldest team in the league, Scared Hitless. Hitless came in to the game with a 3-3 record, while the Monkey’s had just one lone victory among 5 defeats.

The game was quick, as each team struggled to reach the opposing pitching. The Monkey’s came through in the bottom of the 3rd with clutch hitting from Tina Yackle and Matt Hosanna.

With the Monkey’s winning 5-4 in the 6th, Hitless threatened. With nobody out, third baseman Ryan Rissleman made the catch of the year with a diving snag of a line drive. With 2 on and one out, left fielder Hosanna made a web gem of his own with a shoe string catch, and was able to double off the runner at 2nd.

With the Monkey’s unable to score any runs in the bottom of the 6th, it was up to pitching and defense. Pitcher Scott Sweeney was able to strike out the lead off hitter, and the second hitting grounded out. With the game on the line, Hitless managed to scrape out a hit, but their stud lefty hitting third baseman was retired on a great running catch by right fielder Jeff Lundstrom. Monkey’s survive to claim their second victory of the year.

Game Notes:

Coach Samantha Welter made some changes to the lineup, moving Erica Chapes to leadoff and moving herself to third. This paid off for Chapes, who went 3-3 with a smash to left field. It didn’t pay off so well for Welter, who grounded in to two double plays.

Shortstop Marissa Tiburtini continues to rebound from her horrible start at shortstop, making several key plays.  She continues to struggle at the plate, however, and hitting coach Sweeney is looking for any remedy to get Tiburini hitting.

Third baseman Rissleman has excelled defensely in his new role at third, but continues to be an enigma at the plate. When reached after the game, Rissleman commented that he is looking in to perfomance enhancing drugs, since drugs are not illegal in this league. He has also started a regiment of Yoga to increase arm flexibility.Look for a breakout performance next week. When reached for comment on Rissleman’s potential steroid usage, Chapes indicated that it was the first she has heard about it, and intends to ‘put on the smackdown’ when the two arrive home.

Lundstrom and Sweeney combined to go 6 for 6 with 4 doubles after a marathon hitting session prior to the game. Sweeney said ‘All other pitchers in the league can get off our collective dicks’ When reached for a follow up comment, Sweeney proceeded to yell ‘I’m hood’ over and over again.

Second baseman Johnnie Lee has show signs of warming up at the plate, his towering drive to the pitcher was nice to see for the other Monkey’s.

Hosannas headfirst slide has garnered attention from the league president, who has praised the slide as ‘actually a needed headfirst slide, not like that dickhead from G3′. Hosanna went 2 for 2 and scored the games first run.

Attendance. 9. Game time: 42 mins. Temp: 72 degrees. Wind out of the south at 8mph.

If you will take a few moments please read this and make a couple calls. it would mean the world to me. The  non-profit is 80% state funded and needs support.

Please call your house representatives and senate to support a balanced and fair budget for the state of Illinois.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me!

Here is how you can help:

On May 31st, the Illinois General Assembly passed a budget that will have devastating e ects on
children and families. If new revenue sources are not found by July 1st, major cuts to human
services and education programs will go into effect. Up to 80,000 families - roughly 150,000
children - will lose their child care, and Preschool for All could be eliminated for the 100,000
children currently in the program.

This budget will go into e ffect on July 1st unless we change its destiny.
You must act because our elected o fficials did not!

Call your legislators today – and every day until they return to Spring eld and pass a fair budget!
TAKE ACTION TODAY & EVERY DAY!

Step 1: Find Your Legislators
Visit www.actforchildren.org and click on the “State Budget Crisis Action Alert” icon to nd
your legislators through our Voter Voice system, or call 888-Vote-Smart (888-868-3762).

Step 2: Call Your Legislators
Call your legislators with the following messages:

DON’Ts:
• Don’t balance the budget on the backs of families and children. It’s not the way toward
economic recovery
• Don’t pass a budget with a minimum of 50% cuts to vital programs such as Child Care,
Preschool For All and children’s mental health.

DOs:
• Do pass a tax increase that will create enough revenue to balance the budget.
• Do pass a budget that fully funds the vital services needed by low-income families and children.
Roughly 150,000 children are at risk of losing child care that allows their parents to go to work.
Demand that your legislator do the right thing by passing a fair budget.
For more messages you can use to respond to your legislators, please see Pg. 2.
Step 3: Tell Us How the Call Went

Log your call outcomes through Voter Voice or call 312-823-1444 and leave us a message including
your legislator’s names, the outcome of your calls, and your phone and email contact information
so we can provide you with updates.

Remember, this is about more than just child care and education. These 50 percent
cuts WILL BE DISASTROUS to all social services, including services for the elderly,
the homeless, those with disabilities, those living with mental illness… the list goes on.
Think about how these cuts will not only a ect the work you do, but how they
will a ect your community: your family, your neighbors, your friends, your local businesses.
YOUR legislators need to hear YOUR story, so tell it!

Below are responses you can use based on what your legislator may say to you:

If Your Legislator Says:
I voted for the tax increase.

You Say: Thank you, but you must stand up to the leadership in their party because
families in your district will be hurt by this budget. Your vote, in the end, doesn’t change
the outcome for children.
This isn’t the time to raise taxes – the economy is too bad right now.

You Say: The economy is bad right now, and it will get even worse in Illinois if 80,000
families who can’t work without child care lose their assistance from the state. Paying a
fraction more in taxes far outweighs the consequence that these cuts will have on
children and the economy in Illinois.
I am against the tax increase.

You Say: I am disappointed that you don’t understand how devastating these cuts will
be and I am holding you accountable for the families and children that are going to lose
access to critical services, parents who will lose their jobs and child care programs that
will have to shut their doors.
Businesses cut budgets during hard times, and that is what government needs to do, too.

You Say: Government is not a business, nor should it be run like one. In these tough times,
government should provide a safety net to all its citizens when they need it the most.
Parents on the child care assistance program are getting help to pay for child care so they
CAN work – it allows Illinois’ economy to keep churning.
Relax, this is only a partial-year budget, we’ll nd a way to x it later.

You Say: It doesn’t work to fund ½ a child. We need a full year budget, and a budget that
raises enough revenue to fund the critical services our children and families depend on in
order to work and go to school.

If you’ve read the last article, you know there are four types of triathlons- the Sprint, the Olympic, the Half Iron Man, and the Iron Man. You also know there are three parts to each triathlon- the swim, bike and run.

Since the swimming portion of the race is first, I’m going to focus on that.

Part 1: Training

The swim can be one of the biggest deterrents from a triathlon. A lot of people push it aside because they aren’t very strong swimmers. I find when it comes to swimming; there are a decent percentage of people who were “swimmers” during their scholastic years. On the other hand, there are also a lot of us who jump in and hope to God we come out alive.

Once you get in the water, though, have no fear. The race is all about fun. There are people who do a version of the doggie paddle in shorter races. It’s slow going, but if the length is only 400 yards it can be relaxing and not a bad deal at all. If the race is longer though, you will probably need to do better than that.

Here’s an inspiring swim training story for you:

When my Dad was in his mid-forties, he came home one day and just decided to do a triathlon. He had been a wrestler and a football player in high school and played softball regularly during the summers. It’s not to say that my dad wasn’t athletic or in shape, but lets face it, it’d been awhile since he’d done any real working out.

He began to train. As I said before, it’s not that my Dad wasn’t athletic. Running and cycling proved to be no problem, but then he jumped in the pool. He swam one full lap and then stopped, completely out of breath. He came back a few days later and swam two lengths of the pool again before he stopped, exhausted. The third time he came back, he decided that he was going to swim ten laps no matter how long it took him. Again, he stopped after the first full lap. He took a break, and did another lap. He did this over and over again until he completed all ten. Now he has done three Half Iron Men where the swim is 1.2 miles.

Like most types of athletic training, all you really need is a good dose of determination. Try setting goals- 5 laps today. 6 laps next week. Keep it up! If you’re really in need of some help, there are always excellent instructors and swim tips online!

The inspiration at these races is the 70 year old women crossing the finish line. I always think, if they can do it I sure as heck can too!

Part 2: The Starting Line

At the beginning of the race, everybody is divided up into waves. A wave is the group of people you start with, usually of your age and gender. Because so many people race, the groups can’t all start at the same time so they begin the race in 3 minute intervals. If it’s a smaller race, the waves include a wider range of age and may be co-ed. It just depends on the race.

When you get into your wave and start getting close to the start line, you’ll want to think hard about your position in the group. Personally, I get very nervous because there are a ton of people all trying to get out at once- lots of kicking and maneuvering. While this is going on, you have to really pay attention to what’s going on around you to avoid getting bonked in the nose.

Before you step up to the line, your positioning can help you avoid too much bumping around. If you are a good swimmer and are going to just plow through, please go to the front to avoid plowing the rest of us. If you know ahead of time that you’ll be doggy paddling or just moving slow in general, head to the back to avoid getting run over. If your skills are likely in the middle, my secret is to go to the edge of the crowd. Usually I start off on the outside of everybody because everybody is pushing to get on the inside. As the crowd thins out I move as close to the inside as possible and tend to avoid a lot of bumping that way.

That’s all for now, good luck with your swim training! Next week: The bike!

Article 1- JUST DO IT! (more lengthy then the rest will be- but I’ve got to convince you to do it first)

With a few weeks of 70’s weather and sunshine under our belts, and June here, my favorite season after Baseball is beginning. Triathlon Season!

Swim, bike, run, yeah! So much fun! I got my wetsuit on, and I’m ready to fly! Got my tires pumped, and so am I!

- the triathlon song

As an introduction to triathlons, I highly suggest you watch this music video. My dad has downloaded the song from it and plays it on the way to races. This pretty much captures the whole experience.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1Fw1GdRKkc

This year will be my fourth as a triathlete, and I’ve been looking forward to it since my last race in August. This year, however, is a little different. I’m not just doing any triathlon; I’m doing a half iron man.

Call me crazy, but I’m stoked. What I am even more stoked than the race though? My friends and family members hopping on the triathlon band wagon! I talk about triathlons a lot. More than is interesting to anybody, I’m sure. But I’m glad my excitement is catching.

Triathlons are one of the fastest growing sports in the world right now. Why? Because they are not as hard as they seem to be, and leave you with a great sense of accomplishment. Sure, it takes a certain amount of energy, and a whole lot of will power, but it’s quite attainable, and when you finish, the feeling of achievement is great. Crossing that finish line you are tired, you want that stupid bagel you’ve been thinking about since mile 9 on the bike, and to sit down on the grass. As you cross the line, all that is far from your mind. You pump your fist into the air, a medal is hung around your neck, and even though you are a sweaty, gross mess of a person, you go hunting for a camera to flex your (not so awesome if you are me) muscles to and flash the gold around your neck.

While I have crossed the edge of sanity to attempt a half iron man, not all races are like this and require so much devotion and training. There are 4 different types of tri’s, all of which can vary just a little in terms of length:

Sprint: Swim 400-800 yards (roughly a quarter to half mile) Bike: 12-15 miles Run 3-4 miles

Olympic/International: Swim .9 of a mile Bike 25 miles Run 10k (6.1 miles)

Half Iron Man: Swim 1.2 miles Bike 56 miles Run 13.1 miles (half marathon)

Iron Man (the WHOPPER): Swim 2.4 miles Bike 112 miles Run 26.2 miles (marathon)

Obviously, the latter two, and most especially the iron man, are reserved for those with a lot of time on their hands, and some important logic missing from their brains. For everyone else though, the first two are quite accomplishable in terms of training time. A lot of people, who were just swimmers, just bikers, or just runners, can do the sprint with little to no training of the other two. My first sprint race, and one that I continue to do every year, was the Naperville Women’s Triathlon. I hadn’t swum in years and I went on one bike ride with my Dad, just to make sure I could do it.

For women, Naperville Triathlon, which takes place at the end of June every year, is a FANTASTIC first race to do. It’s an easy course, the swim takes place in a man made pool, which although is just a little nerve racking at first, is not in open water and thus reduces the fear of drowning you might otherwise have.

Ok, so I just scared you a little bit, but it’s not really that bad. There is some jumbling of bodies in the beginning, but it’s one of the nicer parts of the race. It is cool, and you are just getting going and refreshed. You can take it slow- you have the whole race- but more on this later.

The point of all this is, doing a triathlon is FUN!

You arrive at the race, and the fluttering begins in your stomach. Here comes the excitement. You put your bike in the transition area, set everything up, and go to the lake where you watch the sun rise over the water. It’s a magical thing to see. The colors play on the lake, and for a little bit, there are no nerves, just calm excitement. Oxymoron you say, but it exists and you’ll know when you feel it.

You are surrounded by your fellow crazies. And I can tell you, no matter where you go, you will never meet a bunch of friendlier, fun people, then waiting around for a tri to begin. Everybody is nice. Most people are not hardened athletes out training all day; they are just doing it for a good time. And when they are done, they are most likely going to go have a good time. It’s easy to get into a conversation, and if it’s your first race, they are full of tips and soothing chatter.

The race begins. There are highs, lows, all sorts of motivational talk going on in your head. Everyone around you cheering you on- from fellow races to people on the side lines. You are never alone in this. It’s tough, but satisfying.

When the race ends, you cross the finish line in triumph, and another great part of the race kicks in. The after party! You didn’t know party is synonymous with racing did you? After accomplishing any feat though, there is nothing better than a celebration! If you are in Chicago, which has the best after party in my opinion, there is food, beer, and band (all wonderfully free… if you don’t count the race fee you already paid). For me, this is one of my favorite parts. Not necessarily the “party”, but the bonding. Everybody gets their scores; you sit around a table with friends and family and have a good time. I enjoy slurping on watermelon and teasing the boys for getting beaten by a girl. And let’s not forget the t-shirt you can now wear proudly to the gym and exclaim “I am a triathlete!”

This summer, my little group of tri-buddies including my Dad, his frat brother and their family has grown, and I am excited to welcome my 15 year old cousin, Nick, into the group. I hope to see many of you out at races, and tune in for more!

There wasn’t LeBron James on Saturday night after his Cleveland Cavaliers exited the NBA playoffs being reminded that having the best regular-season record means, well, not so much after the playoffs start. There wasn’t any James at the post game media podium. That dirty work was left to lesser teammates. There wasn’t any James with a headset on talking to the TNT studio show stars. Sideline reporter Craig Sager told us James had slunk out of Orlando’s Amway Arena with his mother and without a backward glance.

Hey, LeBron!

You want to be a star and have puppets cavorting in your honor on television commercials? You let talk ebb and flow about how you need the bigger stage that New York might provide in another year when you are a free agent and everyone will beg for your otherworldly basketball talent and indisputable will to win?

Then show up when it hurts too, when the world isn’t being operated like a, well, puppet on a string in your favor.

In its way, Nadal’s early departure from the tournament in which he had won 31 straight matches was just as big a deal as James’ premature exit from an NBA playoffs in which most all the world was hoping for Kobe against LeBron. Nike ads, VitaminWater commercials, the puppets, all humanity seemed to demand a Lakers-Cleveland Finals, and the Cavaliers let them down.

But whatever limelight moments tennis gets in this country right now mostly center on the enthralling rivalry between Nadal and his personality and game-type opposite Roger Federer. And Nadal blew his chance for another week of personal adulation as well as being an ambassador for tennis by losing too early. But, hey, that’s sports.

James waited until he got back to Cleveland on Sunday to open his mouth.

Too little, too late. For the next year, as his free-agency drama plays out, James is going to be the biggest story going in the NBA. He’s going to face questions most every day about the quality of the team around him, about the quality of coaching, about what might await him in New York, Chicago . . . pick the big-market NBA city of your choice.

And will James just walk away every day?

His teammates and coaches excused his Saturday behavior. Winning meant so much to him, they said. He played so hard, tried so hard, wanted it so much. Maybe he was embarrassed about all that creative advertising brainpower wasted. Not that Nike’s LeBron/Kobe puppet ads weren’t cute and funny and who wouldn’t go out and buy colored VitaminWater (I guess it has vitamins in it) because LeBron and Kobe guzzle it, but shouldn’t these companies know a little bit about sports? Such as the winner isn’t always who you think it will be?

According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, James addressed a question Sunday about whether he will sign a contract renewal with the Cavaliers this summer with understandable vagueness.

“I don’t know,” James said. “I haven’t thought about it just yet. I’m just going to take time off from basketball and not think about contracts or the game, period, and relax with my family. We’ll figure out once it comes from” the Cavaliers.

James could have said that Saturday night and also maybe congratulated the Magic, shook a hand or two, praised a teammate even for helping the Cavaliers achieve 66 regular-season wins.

Even in his sadness over losing his first-ever French Open match, Nadal looked at a camera and said of Soderling, “I congratulate him and I’ll keep working hard for the next tournament.”

See, it’s not that hard.

Christine Brown (Alison Lohman) isn’t a bad person.  She’s got a nice psychology professor boyfriend (Justin Long), an inoffensive demeanor, and she’s desperately trying to put her past as an overweight farm girl behind her as she fights for an assistant manager position at the bank where she works as a loan officer.  And then some damn evil gypsy woman (Lorna Raver) has to come along and mess it all up.  By denying the old crone a third extension on her mortgage payments (in order to prove to her boss that she can make the “tough decisions” like an assistant manager), she is cursed with the “Lamia” which will torment her for three days before (wait for it), dragging her to hell.

Of course, Brown’s story and the story of old dark magic contrasted against our modern world of logic, manners, technology, and personal priorities, is really Raimi’s story.  While I love the first two “Spider-Man” movies, I don’t think Raimi could have made “Drag Me to Hell” without those big budget films and then losing control and missing the mark with “Spider-Man 3″.  But if the third “Spider-Man” film was Raimi’s downfall, then “Drag Me to Hell” is his redemption.  Everything that made the geek community fall in love with Raimi that he showcased in the “Evil Dead” trilogy explodes all over the screen in his latest film (usually out of people’s mouths).  In fact, if you’ve never seen an “Evil Dead” movie before, “Drag Me to Hell” is probably going to throw you for a loop.  I suspect some audiences may end up hating it to death because they think it’s too cheesy or too cartoon-y or not scary in the way they expected, but if they have ever seen Raimi in his element, they should know that he’s playing it exactly the way he wants: B-movie schlock meets low-budget horror combined with slapstick/gross-out comedy.  It’s a combustible mix but Raimi brews it right every time.

At a brisk 96 minutes, “Hell” never lets you catch your breath.  It’s either veering wildly into campy comedy to the point where if Bruce Campbell appeared he would be the least insane aspect of this film OR it’s creeping you out with Raimi’s complete mastery of sound.  This isn’t a film where you cover your eyes (or at least, you cover them a few seconds too late as he hits us with yet another gross-out gag) but one where you cover your ears because this is a sound design where if you’re not listening to it turned up to full volume, you’re missing out on the experience.  Raimi’s either trying to make you go deaf, piss yourself in fear, or pull out a big belly laugh at the complete insanity and absurdity before you.  No matter what part of your body he’s trying to manipulate, he makes sure you’re never bored.

The film does have a few setbacks in that Raimi sometimes indulges his new CG toolbox when the film’s retro quality (it opens with the Universal logo from the 80s) would be better served by using more practical effects and the set-ups sometime serve as a defense against the insane payoffs rather than a means of ramping up the tension.

But these are small nitpicks against a film that is signature Sam Raimi and any fan of his older work will be delighted to get dragged around by this flick.  If those unfamiliar with the “Evil Dead” movies (especially “Evil Dead 2″) find that they love this movie, then hopefully they’ll start feeling that same odd mix of excitement and disappointment the rest of us Raimi-fans feel when we hear that the director is making a big-budget Hollywood blockbuster when he’s absolutely untouchable if he’s doing a spook-a-blast like “Drag Me to Hell”.

This review was published on Collider.com, an excellent source of Movie reviews! Please check out their website!

How great is Pixar? Their movies say more in five minutes without words than most other movies say in ten pages of dialogue. Pixar doesn’t need words to tell a story, they get that film is a visual medium and they’re strong believers in the old adage that a picture says a thousand words; though I’m pretty sure their pictures say at least a million.

That’s never truer than with Up, which opens with one of a heart-wrenching, tear-jerking montage. It happens almost entirely without dialogue. While a gentle waltz plays we meet Carl Frederickson as a little boy, and watch him meet his future wife Ellie. They bond over their mutual obsession with adventure and as they grow up and grow closer they make plans for an exciting journey to South America where they’ll traverse the jungles of Paradise Falls just like their favorite explorer Charles Muntz. They get married, they live their life walking hand in hand through joys and hardships, all right there flying past us on screen without a word. As the music plays and the pictures move, they keep dreaming of Paradise Falls while life keeps getting in the way. They never make their trip. They grow old. Their entire life together lived in a dazzling, delicate few minutes there on screen leaving the entire audience an emotional wreck as finally Carl is in front of us alone, embittered, and paralyzed by the wonderful, loving memories of his wife. If you’re human you’ll weep, you’ll cry, and just when you’re ready to randomly hug the next person who tries to squeeze past in the aisle, the movie starts.

Now though, every frame of Up is tinged with the beautiful, bittersweet notes of that fading romance, that perfect love we’ve already seen up on screen. We know everything there is to know about Carl, we understand him, we feel with him. Carl’s decision to abandon the world and float away seems sensible and right. So he does. He ties balloons to the house he built with his loving wife Ellie and floats away to live out the dream they were never able to achieve together. Of course things don’t go as planned. A neighborhood boy scout named Russell was inadvertently trapped on Carl’s porch when he took off and though they eventually make it to the jungle, a misjudged landing places them on the wrong side of a cliff. Forced to trek across difficult terrain on foot, the drag the buoyant house behind them. Carl is determined to live out his wife’s dream and Russell has no choice but to tag along. Along the way they meet Doug, a dog who can talk, and Kevin, a strange bird which Russell mistakes for a snipe.

There’s a bad guy and there’s conflict but all of that’s external. What makes Up such a perfect, touching success is the way director Pete Docter and his team cut right to the heart of the matter. This is not the story of an elderly man and his boyscout sidekick wandering through exotic jungles and fighting dastardly air pirates. Sure that happens, but it’s really the story of Carl coming to grips with the loss of his beloved wife and finding a way to move on. The rest is just window dressing. Magnificent window dressing yes, but it’s only the icing on the cake of Up’s stunning, deeply affecting story.

Up is playing in theaters in both 3D and standard 2D. I saw the 2D version for this review and you can read an in depth review of Up 3D from Cinema Blend’s Katey Rich right here. Maybe the 3D adds something, but whatever it adds Up doesn’t need it. Pixar uses pictures to deliver something that’s so much more than visual. No matter how you see it, you’ll be moved by it. Real men cry at Up.