Saturday, June 24, 2006

I Only Make Passes at Girls Who Wear Glasses

Since it was raining, I didn't take my camera to the Pride Parade. I did, however, snap some pics at the Dyke March. I sometimes wonder why the Dyke March is still in Andersonville? Many self respecting dykes have emigrated to Rogers Park (now that the stroller-pushing-jogger-moms and queens who can't afford Boystown have commandeered what was once prime lesbian real estate). Regardless, brave dykes troop on, and for one day reclaim the space that was once a thriving lesbian mecca (before the great Dyke-Diaspora). Below, Dykes on Bykes fearlessly kick off the rally with the roar of their hogs. I would estimate that any random dyke on a byke has a larger penis than James Dobson, Jerry Falwell, or Pat Robertson combined. I haven't actually taken measurements, but this is my estimated calculation...




Below you see what is known as an angry activist dyke. Were it not for dykes of this caliber, the Dyke March would have collapsed like a Rush Limbaugh erection years ago. Wherever an angry activist dyke goes, a ripple of wind inevitably accompanies her. It rushes through her hair, giving the general impression of Stevie Nicks singing "Gold-Dust Woman." All she needs to match Stevie is a feather boa, tasseled microphone stand, Lindsay Buckingham and Mick Fleetwood exchanging angry glares in the background, and an eight ball of coke for her efforts. Yet, the angry activist dyke will reject all of the above--including the trappings of fame--as she is too busy orchestrating what is known as a "Cause." Indeed, angry activist dykes are stuck in a permanent wind tunnel (certainly a part of their appeal), so that hair blowing across her crown is no mistake. Angry activist dykes can be found en masse in academia at places like, but not limited to: Vassar, Barnard, Smith, Mount Holyoke, Bryn Mawr, Wellesley, and Radcliffe ("Seven Sisters" schools all), Yale (home of Jodie Foster and Sara Gilbert), Oberlin, Sarah Lawrence, Eugene Lang (a stones throw from Stonewall), NYU, Stanford, Lock Haven University (home to a gym teacher cloning machine), and SUNY Purchase.



As more angry activist dykes take to the streets the stroller moms retreat to their lairs and hide their children in fear of that notorious queer contagion. The maternal instinct to quarantine their children from gayness overrides common sense. Better safe than sorry! Everyone knows that gayness--like blackness--can dangerously rub off onto another person's skin with a mere brushing of clothing fabrics. Consequently, close proximity to a queer rally should be avoided at all costs. You would be better off drinking bleach and injecting one gallon of bird flu infested, pureed feces into your bloodstream.



Below you will note the banner brandishing dykes and several hangers-on. The hangers-on like to find a banner to stick near, that way, it appears they have a "Cause" (other than hooking up). This particular Cause, the Gay Liberation Network's (GLN) protest about the ex-gay fraud, was on June 27 (a few days after the Dyke March). The GLN is an organization that responds to hate crimes. They meet at 7 PM on the first Wednesday of each month at Gerber Hart Library, 1127 W. Granville. I love the Gerber Hart library; they have great book sales! I digress! So far, the GLN has two upcoming events slated on their calendar. They update their website regularly, so check it out if you're interested. For now:

* Wednesday, July 5 -- Monthly Gay Liberation Network general meeting. All who want to work for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender freedom are welcome! 7 PM at the Gerber Hart Library, 1127 W. Granville (just west of the "Granville" Red Line el station). GLN meets here at 7 PM on the first Wednesday of each month.

* Sunday, July 9 -- Protest against violent suppression of Gay Pride in Moscow by religious fanatics. Call 773-878-3697 if you want to join the protest.

That's right, the GLN likes to throw down and protest. None of this Limber Lips Lucy bullshit. If you have a bur up your ass, and a bone to pick with The Man, take that piss and venom and get your protest on! I love a good protest or boycott. Just thinking about it makes me salty as a sailor.


As the GLN banner makes its way through the crowd, you will notice the bullish cop maintaining a stance referred to as "I see London, I see France." This is an authoritative position frequently assumed by those in power. Typically, this stance is accompanied with the hands-on-hips combination posture. This stance says, "That's right, I've got one leg in London, and one leg in France; Je vous aurais bien aide, mais je ne vous aime pas." It also says, "I'm packing." Now, "packing" can mean several things. It can be a noun, verb, or adjective. Political leaders, CEOs, cops, film students, corporations, pool sharks, gang bangers, pimps, professional athletes, Pac-Man, pregnant women, entertainers, Dr. Laura and Dr. Laura's doppelganger, and dykes in drag are all fond of "packing." In the case of a drug dealer, gang banger, or cop, "packing" usually prefaces the word "heat." Combining those terms creates the phrase "packing heat;" an intimidating notion indeed. For me, the term "packing" usually applies to lunch.



Below, you will note the same cop from above demonstrating what is known as a single player round-robin tournament of "pocket-pool." That might sound paradoxical, but he's packing so we won't argue. Most people play billiards in a bar, but this cop has the good fortune of working his beat and banging around the balls in public. When cops play pocket-pool, no one cares. Clearly, this cop is thinking, "Good Gawd, I hope I don't see my daughter here--if so she'll catch me playing pocket pool." Of course, that's all it means if you catch your daughter at the Dyke March...

This cop is modeling a wonderful bullet-proof vest in the event that the angry activist dykes become violent, and seek a flesh sacrifice. The vest should keep the carnage down to a minimum.



Below you will note a cute dachshund, informally known as a "wiener dog." The sticker attached to the dog's ass reads, "I Y My Clit." I bet this wiener dog enjoys the Dyke Diva's website almost as much as I do...


Here we see some dykes with what appears to be pink duct tape attached to their nipples. I wish I would have thought of that, instead, I haven't done laundry and I'm rawking a sports bra on week 103. That's right, as several friends have indicated, this sports bra is cramping my style.



The sign below reads, "We May Not Go Down in History, but We Will Go Down on Your Sister." That was my favorite sign at the Dyke March. It wins Protest Poster of the Day (PPOD, pronounced "pea pod") in my book. Other memorable signs include, "Lezzy 4 Prezzy," and the more sobering, "Homophobic Health Care Policies Breed Homophobia." PPOD runner-ups, all. Actually, a lezzy 4 prezzy might not be a bad experiment, all things considered...



Below you see a smiling dyke. Why is she smiling? Because she Y's her clit. You too would smile...



In the below photograph you will notice a group of dykes; a random sample of the crowd, if you will. They might seem harmless on the surface, but covertly they personify the words Valerie Solanas penned in her opening lines of the SCUM Manifesto:

"Life in this society being, at best, an utter bore and no aspect of society being at all relevant to women, there remains to civic-minded, responsible, thrill-seeking females only to overthrow the government, eliminate the money system, institute complete automation, and destroy the male sex."

"The male sex," or, as bell hooks would phrase it, the "white supremacist capitalist patriarchy," should cringe in fear of the poisonous contagions witnessed below! If you observe the Andersonville Dyke March as a microcosm of the macrocosmic ill-effects lesbians have on society--as evidenced in the stealth, organization, financial backing, and aggression of the Dyke March--the world better watch out! Today Clark Street, tomorrow the Universe! Where is your god now, Dr. Laura, you rape machine!

Enough angst, it's time for another peaceful sign. Ahhh...the Pomegranate Radical Health Collective, just what the doctor ordered. Incase you are wondering why anyone would care a rats-ass about a pomegranate, check out these facts...

Pomegranates in Literature:


* When Hades kidnapped Persephone and dragged her down to the Underworld, her mother, Demeter, (goddess of the Harvest), went into mourning and all things green stopped growing on the Earth. Zeus couldn't let the Earth to die--because then what would he bicker with the other Olympians over--so he told Hades to return Persephone to her mother. But get this bummer: the Fates decreed that anyone who consumed food or drink in the Underworld would be forced to spend eternity there. Persephone had no food, but Hades tricked her into eating six pomegranate seeds while she was still his prisoner. Consequently, she was condemned to spend six months in the Underworld every year. During those six months, when Hades is cramping Persephone's style down in the black abyss, her mother Demeter mourns and denies the earth fertility. This became an ancient Greek explanation for the seasons.

* In the sixth century BC, Polykleitos took ivory and gold to sculpt Hera in her temple. He depicted her with a scepter in one hand and a pomegranate in the other.


* Hera wears, not a wreath, tiara, or diadem, but clearly the calyx of a pomegranate. This is her crown.


* "About the pomegranate I must say nothing," ventured the traveler Pausanias in the second century AD, "for its story is something of a mystery."

Pomegranate Trivia:


* Ancient Egyptians were often buried with pomegranates.

* Ancient Babylonians believed chewing pomegranate seeds before battle made them invincible.

* Pomegranates have a calyx shaped like a crown. In Jewish tradition it was seen as the original "design" for the proper crown.

* Unless you wash spilled pomegranate juice with bleach, it stains your clothes permanently.

* Grenada, an island off the coast of South America, was named after the Spanish / French word for 'pomegranate'.

* The pomegranate gave its name to the hand grenade--from its shape and size (and the resemblance of a pomegranate's seeds to a grenade's fragments), and to the garnet from its color.


* The pomegranate was the emblem of the Roman Emperor, Maximilian I. (In my opinion, this guy's got nothing on Nero or Caligula.)




Another good sign...



More dykes at Clark and Berwyn.



Below. A skater dyke. The worst kind! Note the studded belt and hair wet with Bed Head. These dykes threaten the very fabric of society. Her extended hand is a metaphorical beckoning towards America's youth. Parents. Heed this dark omen. Should your daughter travel down this path, I recommend a forced viewing of Hell House, and nothing short of queer bootcamp! (Alternately, a slumber party debut of But I'm a Cheerleader will suffice.)

What's she rawkin? 8-Inch Betsy. Gossip. Sleater-Kinney. Le Tigre. The Casual Dots. Melt Banana. What's she reading? Nightwood by Djuna Barnes, Sula by Toni Morrison, or Rubyfruit Jungle by Rita Mae Brown. Who's she hawkin? Your Mom.



As you will note in the picture below, there's something especially hot about a woman on a bike. For a general commentary, think about Bicycles and Film: The Bicycle Thief, Beijing Bicycle (Shiqi sui de dan che), Un Affaire D'Hommes, The Day I Became a Woman, The Tall Blonde Man With One Black Shoe, Henry and June, Middle of the World, Time Chasers, The Triplets of Belleville, E.T. The Extraterrestrial, Life is Beautiful, and Pee Wee's Big Adventure.

Bikes are so European--perhaps that's what it is? This I have a problem with, as I often confuse hot European women for dykes. As a preventative measure, I came up with a checklist to ensure that I keep this faux pas down to a minimum. You too can refer to my European or Dyke? checklist when in doubt:

SMOKING CIGARETTES?
Just consider some of these iconic cigarette wielding ladies; some straight others questionable, all hot: Bette Davis, Marlene Dietrich, and Audrey Hepburn to name a few. As a general rule of thumb the World Health Organization estimates that 22% of smokers in America are women; 26% of European smokers are women--so if she's smoking she could be a European tourist. If you are in Europe she's probably European...

SMOKING CHECKLIST: (or not)
* Take note, are they filtered, hand-rolled, or nonfiltered? Hand-rolled; good chance she's European. As a general rule of thumb, if they are filtered she's probably not European.
* How many in a row does she smoke? Three or more in a chain? Probably European.
* If her smoking is accompanied with an accent, definitely European. Conversely, there is a slim chance you have encountered a theatre student doing "homework." If so, calmly walk away from the scene of the crime.
* What brand are the cigarettes? Parliaments; a hipster from the U.S.(don't deny that "hipster" link your love, asshole). Shermans; A word of caution, you may have encountered the Escape Goat on payday, if not, this brand presents a basic either / or scenario: Either European Or an American hipster with a trust fund--an accent test is in order. Cloves; Art student with an STD (possibly bisexual) or a teenager with a death wish who probably looks old enough to make a pass at (thanks to smoking since she was an embryo), but isn't; nationality--Indifferent. Menthol; doesn't matter, menthol is universally wretched--avoid her like a hole in the head--it's likely she's frigid or really, really boring. There is a bleached-out skeleton in her closet, and it's probably wearing Lacroix. Kissing her is like licking the remnants at the bottom of a crematorium. Hookah; Is she sitting on a mushroom? Have you fallen down a rabbit's hole?


TATTOOS?
* Ask yourself this simple question: Are the tattoos presented in combination with numerous body piercings, circa 1990? If so, you're dealing with a pissed off all-American dyke. Proceed with caution. This one probably reads Sandman and owns an assortment of interchangeable strap-on dildo attachments.

HOT TATTOOS:
* John G. Raped and Murdered My Wife...Find Him and Kill Him

* Winona Forever

* W
ith the exception of a conch shell, a koi fish, or Neptune being pulled by a chariot of giant seahorses, anything nautically themed (especially if it suggests mutiny on the high seas) is admirable. For instance: an anchor, a pirate, the Nautilus with Captain Nemo at the helm, a Jolly Roger, a Kraken, an albatross, Nessie, or the phrase Call me Ishmael, all suffice.
* 867-5309
* Max, from Where the Wild Things Are
* A replica of Picasso's Garcon a la Pipe (recently bumped to second on the most expensive painting list after the sale of Klimt's Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer for $135,000,000)
* Fuck Superman's emblem! Who do you think you are--Shaq?! Forget it. The Green Lantern's ring is the thing! The only thing that could stop the Green Lantern was the color yellow--No Shit! The color yellow. When I was a kid I was a card-carrying member of the Green Lantern Corps. The Green Lantern even has an oath he mutters when he charges his ring:
In brightest day, in darkest night
No evil shall escape my sight
Let those who worship evil's might
Beware my power, Green Lantern's light!


NOT-SO-HOT TATTOOS:
* Designs involving celtic knots, chinese characters, or tribal tattoos
*
Zodiac Signs
*
Elmer Fudd on your ass
* Portraits of people...I don't care if it's your dead homey. Resist the urge.
Tattoo portraits just don't work. (Unless Kat Von D of Miami Ink fame does the job. Even so, you better make it a Virgin Mary--which she especially excels at.)
* A tombstone with the birth and death dates of your dead homey (see above)

* Anything with Old English lettering--unless of course you are a gang banger with a razor tucked beneath your tongue
* Skulls and barbed wire in combination or barbed wire / razor wire wrapped around an appendage


HAIR? (Clearly, my hair style is the "Laurel Canyon" as referenced in this link.)
* Short hair? An absolute coin toss
* Rat tail? Lesbian (no straight European would scandalize their scalp with such a move)
* No hair? Gender Fucker or Joan Jett
* Unibrow? Look for a signature, you may have unearthed a lost Frida Kahlo masterpiece

GLASSES?
* I only make passes at girls who wear glasses.

ACCESSORIES?
* Birkenstocks--lesbian
* black leather jacket--lesbian
* boxer shorts--lesbian
* trucker wallet with a chain--lesbian
* skateboard--lesbian
* flannel without irony--lesbian
* backpack--lesbian (Or a European tourist who has lesbians to thank for popularizing the general use of the backpack as an urban containment device.)



As the procession snakes towards the pumpkin patch along the beach, Dyke March 2006 nears a close...



Below we see a good Samaritan dyke in her natural habitat. She is supplying a thirst-weary dog with drink. Watch out dog, that might just be the date rape drug.


In the wake of the Dyke March we see the grisly aftermath of debauchery: A barren street. Revelers in drag. Decapitated bodies. A freak on a unicycle.



And finally, the perfect cap to this post, an erect barber's pole...


Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Bow to Your Mestre!

Oksana takes capoeira classes. Recently, her group performed a dual belting ceremony which included a batizado (baptism), and a troca de corda (changing of chords/belt) at the Vittum Theatre. The Cricket and the Mayor both went with me to see the show. We met up with Crafty Weasel and company as well.


Capoeria is an Afro-Brazilian from of martial arts invented by African slaves as a form of protection from their oppressors. Capoeira's roots are over 400 years old, and can be traced back to the ceremonial dances of the Bantu people. I like the picture below because all of the arms make her look like Shiva. (Yes, I know that link's crazy, aren't they all?)

Note: The term "Bantu" is actually considered pejorative in South Africa due to its generic conotation. The term was often used by the apartheid regime to categorize several different tribal factions--over 400--under one label. So, understand that Bantu signifies a combination of tribes, and literally means "people."

Capoeria has elements of ritualized combat combined with dance, acrobatics, self defense, and music. Indeed, the pounding of the bongo drums tap danced salsa on the Weasel's hangover-headache. The Mayor of Moneytown was similarly affected. In my opinion, they could use a little capoeria discipline and self control. However, that might mean acquiring their own personal mestre (capoeria master).


The musical instruments were various forms of percussion, with the exception of an electric violin and a really interesting instrument that sounded like a didgeridoo. In all of these photographs you will notice the musicians in the background. The dancers wear colorful costumes designed to resemble traditional dress.


Sometimes, but not always, their music was accompanied by vocals. The vocals consisted of chanting, singing, and occasional call and response. The guy doing the call and response was more entertaining than Cab Calloway singing scat in the Cotton Club. He was a huge character and proved to be an avid body checker during later performances. Below you will note a shiny bald head. Can you believe that guy? Sticking his big polished head in my picture? I theorize that the bald man is Jason Alexander, of Seinfeld fame. This guy's big toady head hijacked several otherwise great photographs. I think I should put Gus's face on the shiny head...too bad I only have Paint, the Pong of Microsoft Office.



In the pictures above and below you can see that the dancers have sticks in their hands. This is a dance called maculele, and was created by slaves working on sugarcane plantations. The sticks represent the machetes that the slaves used to cut sugar cane; the dance movements symbolize motions used while harvesting. (Look--that guy's in this pic too. Clapping, no less! Clapping like a seal for a frozen salmon. Clapping and refracting enough beams of light for NASAs Hubble telescope to mistakenly report the birth of a mini galaxy in Ukranian Villiage.)


The photographs below feature a series of shots with dancers wearing green and yellow; these are my favorite costumes. The dancers are dancing coco de roda, from the beach regions of northeast Brazil. Coco de roda incorporates motions and steps traced to the indigenous Tupis people of Brazil.



If Capoeira looks like something you'd be interested in, contact Grupo Axé Capoeira at 773.368.4777 and ask for Monitor Bambu. The classes are at Enso Yoga and Martial Arts, 1329 S. Michigan Avenue--2nd floor. Their website is www.axechicago.com.


Grupo Axé Capoeira has been around since 1982; they have released five CDs and a video of their 2000 International Encounter. The photos you have seen so far reveal the soft side of capoeira. All of this frolicking in lemon and lime is child's play compared to the troca de corda! Bow to your mestres, feeble student of capoeira!



These dancers are cool, but the true badasses are coming up. Many of the musicians in the background eventually perform capoeira onstage; they turned out to be some of the best martial artists in the entire group.


I wanted to purchase a pair of the capoeira pants to lounge in and drink dirty martinis; however, the Mayor said that plan was ill advised. She indicated that the pants were in poor taste and would not compliment my figure. The Cricket remained silent but cocked an eyebrow and shook her head. Secretly, she too wanted a pair of capoeira pants. If they had the word "JUICY" stitched across the ass, the Mayor would have been right there with us.




Finally, the dancers wrapped it up and they brought out some new instruments for another phase of the performance...


Now it's time for the hard-core capoeira. These guys are going through a troca de corda to level-up their belts. This guy has some badass moves; with the agility of a cheetah and the speed of a searing comet, this quy will jack you quicker than the Minx can disrobe a quarter pounder with cheese. He is no three toed sloth!



Like most forms of martial arts, the capoeira belt-system is color-coded. There are belts for students aged thirteen and younger, and belts for students aged fourteen to adult. The color of your belt reflects the students physical abilities, knowledge of capoeira, and dedication to the art.

In both age-groups, the lowest belt level is white--but you still have to earn that belt. Your first belt to signify a graduated student and beyond is a green belt--olive in color. That belt symbolizes "monitor" status. A step above that--instructor level--means your belt is yellow and green. Next, you will be rewarded an all yellow belt that means professor 1 grau. I noticed many capoeiristas wearing green belts, or green and yellow. I found the guys wearing the green belts to be some of the more graceful capoeristas. The highest belt you can get is a white and sort-of umber colored belt. That belt puts you at the level of estagiário.

The head mestre, Mestre Barrão, appeared to have a red and white belt, but I couldn't be sure from my vantage point. If so, that means he is level mestre 2 grau; the ceremony might even have elevated his status, but I'm not sure. He was really good, and I noticed the others demonstrated immense respect for his abilities.


Mestre Barrão is an accomplished capoeira teacher who has successfully competed in numerous events. In 1982 he won the prestigious capoeira National Championship in Rio de Janeiro. Prior to that, in 1980, he began teaching. He has been teaching ever since, and is a major reason capoeria has a following in Chicago.




To learn more about capoeira in Chicago--or to take classes--just check out their website. It's a great way to stay fit and feel connected to an interesting and growing community that spans the globe.

Monday, June 19, 2006

Tapas de Topless

The Weasel had a very successful party last weekend. Characters came out in droves, and a keg of Budweiser flowed from a seemingly infinite source. In the below photo you will note the obligatory red party cup, a chalice also available in blue. This majestic cup is the only goblet worthy of that honeyed nectar of the gods, also know as "The King of Beers."





The Weasel's sweet digs provided the perfect location for a party. We spent most of our time out of doors. To get there you just walk down a suspiciously narrow stairwell. Posing in the stairwell, the Mayor indicated that--despite the delicious keg of Bud--only the best for her. Indeed, she brought along her trusty six-pack of Pabst Blue Ribbon--truly the ambrosia of beers. Once she pops the top you will see the makings of a Meatloaf video in her wake. After all, the Mayor's favorite line in Blue Velvet isn't, "Heineken! Fuck that Shit, Pabst Blue Ribbon!" for nothing...





Below, the Mayor contemplates a party of her own. She considered calling her good friend, Britney Spears, for musical entertainment. Then...Britney's interview with Matt Lauer was televised. On second thought, the Mayor would feign make a PR mistake of that magnitude, and decided that she should distance herself from Britney until she makes a comeback on the country charts. Perhaps she could simply show Brit's interview on repeat with an LCD--that would be a welcome addition to any party.



The Escape Goat staked out prime real estate on the porch where she could observe all of the antics from a safe distance. But once she starts drinking she is a character magnet. She couldn't avoid the antics for long...



Out of nowhere a powerful magician--descendant of the famed Merlin, no less--materialized with a deck of cards and a friendly, unassuming smile. But even the malicious Wizard of Wor had a devilish grin, and he too loved to laugh. Here are some of the best phrases from that game (all of which our wizard did not hesitate to apply):

* "Ah you thought you could but I'm the dungeon master. Ha ha ha ha."
* "And my teleporting spell can be even faster. Ha ha ha ha."
* "Another coin for my treasure chest."
* "Are you fit to survive the pit? Ha ha ha ha."
* "Bite the bullet warrior. Ha ha ha ha."
* "Come back for more, with, The Wizard of Wor. Ha ha ha ha."
* "Deep in the caverns of war you will meet me warrior."
* "Deeper ever deeper in to the dungeons of war. Ha ha ha ha."
* "Fear, I draw near, each time I appear. Ha ha ha ha."
* "Hay, Your space boots untied. Ha ha ha ha."
* "He he he ho ho ho ha ha ha ha, that was fun."
* "Hey, insert coin."
* "I'll fray you with my lightning bolts."
* "I'm out'a spite. ha ha ha ha."
* "If you can't beat the rest, then you'll never get the best. Ha ha ha ha."
* "My beasts run wild in the warlord dungeons. Ha ha ha ha."
* "My creatures are radioactive."
* "Now you get the heavyweights."
* "Now you know the taste of my magic, worrior."
* "Now your only chance is your dance. Ha ha ha ha."
* "One bite from my pretties and you'll explode. Ha ha ha ha."
* "Remember, I'm the wizard, not you!"
* "So you've come to score in the world of wor. Ha ha ha ha."
* "Wasn't that lightning bolt delicious? Ha ha ha ha."
* "You can start anew, but for now you're through."
* "You've just been frayed by the Wizard of Wor. Ha ha ha ha."
* "Your bones will lie in the dungeons of wor. Ha ha ha ha."
* "Your explosion was music to my ears. Ha ha ha ha."




At first, we embraced this magical being's company. Indeed, his wizardry made for a curious spectacle. Apart from being a bit pushy and demanding, the magician seemed friendly enough. He wasn't threatening to saw off arms and legs, or produce a rabbit from a hat--just cards. No big deal, right? Take note of the spectrum of emotions exhibited on the Mayor's face in this series of pics. Below she appears welcoming and amused...



All well and good until the magician entered a trance and channeled Beelzebub, the underworld's chief of the nine evil hierarchies. Dante identified Beelzebub with Satan, but Milton's Paradise Lost only ranks him, "next to Satan in power in crime." So that's what we had to deal with--crazy, evil, Beelzebub of magicians in our midst. Once the magician became sinister, the Mayor's welcoming expression turned to fear and suspicion. Her glare of umbrage only inflamed the angry wizard.


Finally, she had to look away from the surly, screaming wizard who demanded increased crowd participation. The Weasel insisted that he was not paying the magician, and considered banning the ill-fated deck of cards. But being a good natured weasel, he let it slide.



Finally, Double D' Wicked approached and vanquished the evil wizard back to the seventh level of hell. We were all happy about that. We hoisted her on our shoulders and passed her around like a sack of potatoes before depositing her on Ashland Avenue in a cloud of dust. When the din cleared she was pretty confused to find herself standing on Ashland Avenue. Thanks to her internal compass, she returned expediently but scorned all good deeds for the remainder of the evening. Her retribution was felt in most circles.



With the dark wizard being safely disposed of, the Escape Goat decided she could stop lurking in the shadows like a wraith. Below she shows off her matching accessories...




Then she displayed the remarkable ability to dislocate her shoulder while the Mayor enviously looked on.


Billy Shamrocked Boston and caught a bottle cap on his rippling bicep with his cat-like reflexes.




The Fickle Feather looked particularly disheveled. He's still coming down from a reputed thrashing in Mahjong. The Mahjong victor, Rachel, is obscured by his aloof coiffeur.


The Weasel's shirt screams, "It's World Cup! GOALLL!"


Adam, is that a giraffe on your shirt, or a Georgia O'Keeffe flower? Giraffes are like snowflakes; no two giraffes have the same pattern of spots. Also, a giraffe's tongue can be up to 21 inches long. Giraffes are the tallest mammals on the planet.




The below shot is wonderful because it captures the Escape Goat’s truly impish nature. Many assume that she is innocent and blameless when hyjinks are afoot. Not so! Turn your back on her and she’ll piss in your ice-trays! Just look at that devious mug. Note how she tersely clenches her beer, patiently waiting for the opportune moment to hurl the empty at your head. She has been experiencing withdraw symptoms since her last bloodletting in April which involved a hapless bystander and a plastic, blood-stained bat




At last—Double D’ Wicked returns from Ashland Avenue. OR. Was she photoshopped into this picture? YOU decide. Billy and the Escape Goat are waiting for Madonna to remix “Vogue.” (Again.)


Once again, the Escape Goat’s friendly nature is unveiled. Still biding her time with the empty bottle, she stalks her prey in the steamy night, waiting for the opportune moment to smash the base and wave the jagged neck threateningly. That calculated glare is no mistake.


Intoxicated by the mere vapors permeating from the lip of her PBR, the Mayor presented an unusually rapt audience for Billy. Coming down off of the bold claim that he could "make a cell phone belt-clip cool," here he is featured entrancing the Mayor with his hypnotically soothing voice. Like a snake charmer bewitching a cobra, he appears to have beguiled the Mayor with his wiles.



Do my eyes deceive me or is Double D’ Wicked strategically disguising a flip-off with a nose scratch? Wouldn’t be the first time!



Congratulations, Weasel, on a successfully festive evening in the sweltering night!