'Appy Birthday to Me.

(I stole this picture from Sarah's Flickr. I'm a thief. Who can't find his camera.)

For my birthday, my swell friends took me to Ravinia to see a taping of 'Prairie Home Companion.'

I've always been a fan of Garrison Keillor (if you're even remotely progressive, but still respect personal responsibility, his 'Homegrown Democrat' is a great read... and an even better audiobook read by the author), PHC, radio shows, NPR in general, and anything kinda old-timey. While PHC wasn't necessarily a direct influence on 'Fowler Family Radio Hour', the old radio variety show format was, and both FFRH and PHC use such a format, so PHC was the most relevant contemporary example of what we were going for. Shelby and I were taking notes like crazy.

It was really great. We took Sheridan all the way up, which runs along the lake through the ritzy North Shore suburbs. The cicadas were crazy in the trees and we had the top down and some good music.

We brought wine and cheese and crackers and popcorn and Italian Blood-orange soda. (Which is amazing. I had it in Nice and fell in love. They have it at Trader Joes. w00t. )

The music and the stories were great. We relaxed on the lawn and ate and drank. We took Sheridan back home just as dusk started to settle in, and it was a beautiful ride.

Then we went to Gio's, sang karaoke, and got snookered. Good birthday, everyone. You win.