A few days ago I downloaded an app called The Vinyl District that uses GPS to find your nearest record stores. Thats when I was directed to Rediscover Records in Elgin, Illinois. It’s a store within another store located in the downtown area. It’s a nice little space, with plenty of new vinyl from a variety of genres (ie: the new Tom Waits next to a mint copy of “Master Of Puppets”).

What really got me though was their used selection. For $10.75, I scored the following:

Elvis Costello – “Trust”
Jackson Browne – S/T aka “Saturate Before Using”
Joni Mitchell – “Blue”
Billy Joel – “The Stranger”

That’s a pretty satisfying haul. I’m very impressed that albums of that quality were that affordable. I don’t think I would have even come close to a deal like today’s somewhere in the city.

Today was not much of a day worth writing about. I saw “The Artist”, a modern silent film that didn’t do much to impress me, and I followed that up by watching football. That’s about it.

At least there’s something here, right? It still counts!

Last night I joined Weight Watchers. My weight has always been somewhat of an issue for me, as I’ve fluctuated up and down over the years. I’m unhappy with my size right now, and despite the fact that I’m exercising, I’m really not losing any weight. What I like about the “points system” with Weight Watchers is that I essentially can eat what I want as long as I don’t go outside my daily points total. Also, it’s fun entering in items on my phone and seeing how the math works out. It’s almost like a game. I’m committed to sticking with it in hopes that it actually works.

Hey, if Charles Barkley could do it, then I most certainly can, right?

Lately I’ve been trying my hand in the kitchen, specifically with baking. Over Thanksgiving, I successfully made tuxedo bars, followed by these Cheddar Bay biscuits and then chocolate chip cookies. Above is from tonight, a yellow cake with chocolate buttercream frosting, topped with white chocolate chips. The cake was a box cake mix, and the frosting was from the back of a Ghirardelli cocoa mix box. Still, it was fun to do, and I hope to get more ambitious with each recipe I attempt.

*Yes, that is a “Breaking Bad” reference.

Earlier today I visited The Modern Wing of the Art Institute of Chicago. I run hot and cold with museums for the most part, but I was intrigued by both the structure itself as well as the content to make a trip downtown. I wasn’t disappointed. Modern art has always been my favorite type because I feel it’s the direct translation of the artist’s brain. I imagine things abstractly in a similar way, so I always feel very comfortable with the different types of art in these types of galleries. There’s also the added element of learning the backstory behind the art and artist, and it’s all that more fascinating.

Mark Rothko piece

Jackson Pollock – “The Key”

Clyfford Still piece

This daily ritual the past month-and-a-half has done wonders for my well being and engineers a lot of positive energy for the rest of the day. I’m a slow starter, but a little bike and treadmill goes a long way.

Here’s my playlist: