December 16, 2004
I louche, you louche, we all louche together! (continuation p1)
I believe I am almost 100% recovered now.
Yesterday at 830 AM my dear friend Angie picked me up and drove me to my health clinic. I was feeling worse than I have in a long time. I didn't know if it was the flu, or what. I spent the morning in the clinic where a replacement for my vacation Dr. George Michael (no shit) gave me good news and bad news. The good news was that I lost exactly 20 pounds since my last visit 10 weeks ago, which for a person with High Blood Pressure is one of the most important factors. I knew I dropped a few but having not weighed myself since, I didn't know exactly where I was at. The bad news was my BP was extremely high and they increased the dosage. (I hadn't taken my mediation in a few weeks and I should know better) the other bad news was that I was dehydrated. That explains my incredibly unbearable painful leg cramps which contributed to my lack of sleep. (partially) .
This would explain the lack of updates on the site. Angie took me to her place and nursed me back to heath. Today I feel like I'm as close to 100% as anyone in my condition could be.
I louche, you louche, we all louche together!
"Louche is an ancient Scottish word co-opted by the French that means essentially 'elegantly decadent'..drink in one hand, smoke in the other, lounging back with outstretched legs across the plush velvet couch, gazing through the 4:30 a.m. crowd, rapping to that slick chick slung low next to you."
So it all began one week ago this very evening and didn't end till quite late Monday night 12/13. I got a call from Angie who perhaps is a one person I met in the most bizarre of ways and began many months ago sometime early in the morning and in a crowded and dark nightclub. She called me up, picked me up and plowed your writer with a bottle of Makers, 2 bottles of vodka and Satan knows what else. All I know is I was in a very cool surroundings in a trendy part of Logan Square. We laughed. watched south Park (you got served) and talked books, movies, Halloween make-up, and nonsense. Next thing I know it's Friday, I change clothes and we're off to a party on Halsted. This party was composed of some friends and some friends to be. Before we know it one of the hosts who was pouring me some very strong Rum and Cokes was dancing in fro tot the DJ booth in an empty room and preceded to breakdance. We could not believe it. It was straight off that episode of South Park, right out of the fucking thing and we laughed but he assumed we were giving him props and in a lot of ways we were. I said we had been served to which Ang replied, "It's on!" and he agreed, "Yes, it is, it's on." and despite anything that would follow in the next few days our brief time at this Halsted street party we both agree had to be the highlight. I hadn't seen the likes of this since the early 80's. But considering this particular party was comprised of breakers and graffiti artists from all over the USA, it was accepted, but still freaking funny for a couple of goofy South Park aficionados who were not part of the scene. We were treated however like we were.
We shot over to NEO to pick up a check and then got back to Logan where we dove back into the same old song and dance.
Then came Saturday and it was the morning of my birthday party at Ranalli's but I had to meet some friends first. As we dropped by my mailbox where I picked dup a box some 80 pounds which I believed was porn to giveaway, along with some other goodies. We then dropped the goods off at my place, we shot by Ranalli's at 12 noon where I saw my pal Jason aka Sex On Wheelz sitting at the corner. I jumped out of my hosts Mercedes and ran through traffic as it wasn't even there diagonally across the intersection, had a pair of clippers in had running and shaved off a part of Jason's hair do. (his favorite scene from jackass the Movie I might add) Jason had traveled 5 hours from Indy by train, which I should explain was an hour drive from his home outside of Indy at 530 AM to hang out with me for one night.
Angie parked her vehicle, unphased, and met our dumbasses inside. We ordered a round of 1/2 yards and some raw calamari and Angie joined the Beer Mafia. Afterwards we said farewell to Angie and we were off to eat at a B.Y.O.B. Sushi restaurant, where the help looks as good as the sushi is. Then Jason started feeling the effects of his travel and the long day. He'd been through a lot to get here, a six hour commute and then a cab ride. So I put him to rest and then the phone rang. It was Jeff Brown the very first assistant editor for MK and my former roomie. He drove a lowriding classic Dart all the way from Indy just after work. He pulled a 12 hour shift on Friday and had to six hours Saturday morn and drove here directly afterwards. Another friend showing his true colors. Jeff had parked his beast about 2 miles from where I was and was walking. I asked him to meet me at a local tavern where we could chat and allow Jason to sleep. I unpacked the 80 pound box to a bunch of smaller boxes filled with lube from Wet. It was too funny and would prove to become even funnier as the afternoon and evening progressed into my 930PM birthday party at Ranalli's. I met Jeff at the location and we began tossing the lube which was packed neatly into smaller sample packets in small burlap type bags with tiny drawstrings. We gave them to all the prettygirlies and to people on the street and it was funny.
Around 9PM we woke up Jason and worked our way down to Ranalli's where they were ready. They had a ton of food out and the party kicked in. I could not believe everyone who showed up and paid their $25 plus tip to attend and show their love and support to yours truly who would turn 40 years of age at the strike of midnight. The crows was a virtual who's who of the Chicago music scene including bands, fans, TV personalities, actors, as well as friends new and old. I cannot wait till I get all of the photos from this thing. Even a lot of the employees of Ranalli's took the night off in order to attend. The longer it went the louder we were, most of all myself. I gathered a few cool gifts my favorite material item was a killer clock that Karlton had made with 2 ViXXXens, on a blue background, with the MK logo and the red lipstick ViXXXens logo. And it was surrounded by a heavy silver metal frame. Other than that I cannot say more than anything that I never felt so good to be surrounded by so many great people. There were 50 attendees or more in total. Ranalli's must have raked in a small fortune, but the most fortunate was me. I felt like the luckiest guy ever. The company was incredible and around 2AM about 30 of us cut line at NEO and went in for the DIE WARZAU release party which I was co-sponsoring. Things were very hazy at this point and I guess Ang and I got into a cab and went to her pad, because it's where I woke up to wonder "Where the hell were Jeff and Jason?" As we found later they tried my place, I wasn't there so they were forced to rent a suite for $175 for a place to sleep at the Days Inn since they were out of regular rooms. Now that's true friendship. We convened later for the brunch buffet at Ranalli's since I figured that was where they would know to find me. Sooner than later they arrived as we were loading out plates and they did not complain a bit, not a word of it.. Jeff looked fine, but Jason looked like he and his wheelchair were hit by the Green Goblins flyer as well as a few pumpkin bombs.
After that we all went to my place and loaded up with giveaways, part in Jeff's Dart and part in Angie's Mercedes and we drove to her place to hang out for the remainder of the afternoon. Jason grabbed a cab back to the bus station as Jeff and I made up for the years gone by and chatted in Angie's kitchen. At sometime prior to 6PM we shot over to The Darkroom, where Alc O Holiday was to be held. It was early, the bands were loading in and things were about to get....KRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was starting to feel the effects of the 15 degree weather, the wear and tear, the leg cramps, backaches, and my immune system winding down.
TO BE CONTINUED
Tomorrow: The Year Without A Satan Klaus
Posted by Alex Zander at December 16, 2004 02:01 PM