Hold on, Magnolia

Somehow, another week has gotten away from me with nary a post. Never fear. I'm back, baby.

Had a couple of good rehearsals last week in anticipation of our big show opening for Cracker on Friday. Also went to a party to celebrate the passing of an important institution: the brick 3 flat in Edgewater that has housed at least two of my group of friends since the winter of 1998.

The chronology, as far as I can remember, goes something like this (identities obscured to protect the guilty):

December of 1998: a certain B___ K. moves into a first floor apartment on the 5900 block of North Magnolia ("Magnolia") with a college friend. On New Year's Eve '98-'99, he hosts what stands as one of the five best parties I've ever been to. 

August of 1999: a certain J___ G. moves in with B___ K.

New Year's Eve 1999: J___ G. and B____ K. throw what stands as one of the three best parties J____G. has, er... I've ever been to.

2000: B___ K. moves out of the first floor apartment, a certain J____ V. moves in with J_____ G. C_____ M., D_____ B., and M_____ M. move into the second floor apartment.

New Year's Eve 2000: the first and second floor apartments of Magnolia host what stands as one of the one best parties I've ever been to.

2001: Magnolia is sold to a new landlord, who lays plans to renovate the entire building and move into the first floor apartment. The future of Magnolia looks grim. Plans are laid to move. Diaspora looks imminent.

August of 2001: A reprieve! In a last minute show of clemency, new landlord allows J____ G., M_____ M., and J______ V. to move into the newly renovated third floor apartment.

August of 2002: J_____ V. moves out, P_____ moves in and quickly becomes known as the "phantom" roommate.

August of 2003: J____ G. moves out to get married. P____ moves out. The future again looks grim, but at the last moment, G____ G. and M_____ P. move in with M____ M. to carry on the legacy. 

September 1, 2005: G___ G., M_____ P., and M_____ M. will be moving on, leaving Magnolia uninhabited by the Oak Park crew for the first time in nearly 8 years.

So indeed, a place that I called home for four years will now be a thing of the past. Lots of great things happened there, lots of not so great things.

I remember moving in with my best friend, fresh from college, first apartment, all the optimism and naivete. I remember listening to so much music... The Who, Elvis Costello, Jimi Hendrix, Black Crowes... I remember forming my first band. I remember writing and recording a lot of music, some of which I still perform today. I remember burgers and beers in Moody's Beer Garden and the questionable third pitcher on a Thursday night. I remember riding the Red Line downtown, always getting a seat. I remember the Pumping Company and penny pitchers. I remember falling asleep to the sounds of a manual typewriter and the smell of a midnight cigarette. I remember getting my tonsils out and lying in my dad's old recliner for two weeks doped up on liquid Vicodin. I remember consuming large amounts of alcohol and not a few recreational substances. I remember bringing home my furry companion Hendrix, all 28 pounds of him. I remember coming home from all-nighters in the studio. I remember basketball at Senn High School. I remember being dumped by my future wife on my 24th birthday for having my head up my ass. I remember losing a good friend and roommate to egos, stubbornness, and immaturity. I remember 7 months of drifting, and all its costs and benefits. I remember moving up two flights of stairs. I remember sitting on the couch in the third floor apartment with Hendrix watching the events of September 11th unfold, and then going out for lunch with my landlord. I remember hours and hours in my bedroom, writing the Odyssey, singing into a tape recorder. I remember being barely employed. I remember shopping at Dominick's on Broadway. I remember countless hours at the Senn High School dog park with Hendrix. I remember parties and parties and parties and parties. I remember breaking up with my first band, and forming my second band. I remember jogging the lakeshore path. I remember breakfasts at The Little Corner. I remember morning bloody marys at the dive bar across from Little Corner. I remember puking in my own bed from falling off the wagon during the Bears' playoff game. I remember pulling my head out of my ass. I remember getting engaged. I remember hours and hours of great conversations with the best friends I've ever had, and many I no longer talk to. I remember sitting on the roof in the summer sun nervously calling high schools and trying to get them to let me perform The Odyssey. I remember watching football games with a hangover. I remember attending my landlord's wedding. I remember moving out of Magnolia and into the next phase of my life, somehow emerging a stronger person for all the shit I went through while living there.

Hold on, Magnolia...

jbg