I was thinking about how much each generation of my family looks like one another. I can look at my mother’s class photos and pick myself out of the crowd because I look exactly like her.

Here are some lovely examples of the doppelgangers in my family:

This is a picture of my brothers and I from way back when (Yay early 80s)

This is a picture of Brian and two of my nephews:

Our family produces dopplegangers.

One more for you…

Here’s my mom as a kid:

and me again:

Last night we visited my cousin’s new bar/resturant called Waba. It was around for ages, but is now reopened for business. I walked in, expecting a simple Korean Bar with yummy food, but became as giddy as a school girl in about two minutes flat – they had private karaoke rooms!

I remember the first time that I learned about Karaoke. It was a Christmas party, held by my best friend’s family in a fieldhouse in Suburban Chicago.  It was a Filipino gathering, complete with the full roasted pig hanging out on the dinner table.

My friend’s Uncle came out to sing to the crowd. He looked like a Filipino Elvis – complete with the skinny pants, sideburns and Pompadour, and of course the hips swaying back and forth. I was mesmerized. He was an OK singer, but everyone was really into it.

My grandmother bought me a book when I was a child to keep my school memories together. Each year it asks you “What do you want to be when you grow up?” The first three or four years that I had this, I wrote “Rock Star.”  Granted, I had no idea what that really meant, but I think I received the book about the time that MTV launched. I saw videos by Pat Benetar, Rod Stewart and those wierd Buggles. I knew that was my destiny.

I tried out for choir in seventh grade. I didn’t make it and was really sad about it. However, in eighth grade I did singing my “heart” out with the song “These Dreams.” I still remember the teacher guiding us through the song and making sure that we were enunciating the chorus  “THESE DREAMS – PAUSE PAUSE – WHEN I CLOSE MY EYE- EEEEEEESS” My love for Chorus lasted until Freshman year in high school. I was told early on that I had a crap voice and I gave up at that point.

Flash forward to Los Angeles – Brass Monkey – a divey lounge bar in the middle of Koreatown.  I went there for a friend’s birthday and was hooked. Lounge Lizards and people like me who can’t truly carry a note (but make up for it in our ham,) shared the stage (well, spotlight in this case.)  I was shy as could be, but I managed to squeak out “Time after Time.”

I moved back to Chicago in 2005, and I went to a birthday party at Pontiac Cafe. The live band that night was called the Karaoke Dokies.  You could pick a song, gather your muster (or pound a few drinks like most everyone did) and get up on stage to rock out with the band! I thought regular Karaoke was intimidating, but this was an amazing rush. The band played along with your speed, fast or slow, and really made you feel like you were truly a rock star for a few minutes.

You can only imagine my joy at seeing the rooms at Waba last night. You can sing to your heart’s content with nobody but your friends who you “trust” to not give you too much crap. Well, that isn’t entirely true, but at least you don’t have to listen to a million versions of sorority girls singing “Love Shack.” in an evening.

As part of Melissa’s Xmas Gifts, I finally snagged tickets for Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me. It’s a quiz show on NPR which Melissa got me hooked on when we first got together. I never thought I would become a NPR nerd, but here I was, geeking out over the fact that we were in the 2nd row, THIS close to Peter Sagal and Karl Cassell. After the show we chatted about how much fun that would be to do as our job. Your day to day job is making people laugh about the news. Lucky, lucky people.

If you are in Chicago, or come to Chicago, I urge you to get tickets. Its a cheap night out which will make your tummy hurt from laughing.  Goldstar usually has half-price tickets.

Melissa and I checked out this brand new wedding event called “Indie Wed” yesterday.

As I delve more into “creative me, ” I am becoming obsessed at anything crafty and this show made me want to run out to the local craft store and buy out everything they sell.

Some highlights yesterday included:

Love, Lulu Mae (who I will be chatting with about helping me design an accessory for the big day)

Meeting the our Evanston Neighbors, Dame Couture

and I Do Films

and eating some amazing treats from Jordan’s Food of Distinction I think I almost died and went to heaven eating their appetizers.

It seemed like people were enjoying themselves checking out all of the great vendors and gorging themselves on the scrumptious food that was served. The crew at Paper Stories who were the brainchildren behind the event really did a fabulous job. It’s inspiring to see so many indie spirits in one setting – - for a wedding show nonetheless!