MY OTHER JOB

I visited a friend of mine, Karolina Stepek, Polish writer and lady copper, at Prentiss Womens Hospital a few days back. As of right now as I type this, she is getting a bone marrow transplant thanks to a DNA match from a guy in Paris. But I have to chronicle the city when I can, whether or not I ever use the scenes in a story.

And Abe Vigoda died yesterday.

BAD GRAMMAR THEATER: 15JAN16

Bad Grammar Theater started up again at it's new home, Forte Framing & Gallery, just off of Western and North Avenue. Started by Brendan Detzner (the guy in the purple shirt) and hosted by Jude Mire (the guy with the beard), it was great to get back into the readings. And the bigger crowds, as well.

I had spent a few weeks putting together the contents for Crossroad Press's upcoming book of mine, RAPID TRANSIT: 30 years of short fiction and I decided to read "I Fights To The Finish", a fairly insane story from John Weagley's REVENGE OF THE RADIOACTIVE MONKEYS that came out around 2005. It was good to get the band back together.

CHICAGO P.D.: S3E10 "Now I'm God"

I actually lucked out with my exposure on the show. The filming was done in the ballroom of the Congress Plaza. I always find the workings of whatever film or show I am in intriguing. There were 27 takes for what amounted to a two minute (if that) scene. People were moved from table to table, one time they moved a vacant chair so as to look as if someone had gone to the bathroom.

Extras always have to arrive at a certain time because you never know when the filming will start. For example, the ballroom had to be set up perfectly, cameras on the balconies, each table set with empty dinner plates and three different glasses filled with wine or water in varying amounts, as well as coffee cups. I arrived at 9AM and we did not sit down until around 4:15 PM. By the time the filming had ended, it was close to 8 PM, so I was paid overtime. 100 pizzas were delivered and the men's room was filled with men in black suits like it was a funeral for the Outfit, heads bowed down not in respect, but to make certain that, well, we just keep our heads down just because.  Let's leave it at that.

We have to bring garment bags with different colored shirt and ties. It was very cold in the waiting area and many women had low cut gowns, as we were at an awards ceremony where the guy winning the award was arrested. So I asked a few of the women if they wanted one of the two shirts I wasn't wearing and they readily accepted. A few other men saw what I had done and followed suit. We filmed this on 15NOV15 and the show aired last week (I kinda forgot to post this earlier).
I was able to get photos from one of our televisions, but thanks to Mark Braun, Mike Olson, and Sid Williams for posting shots early on.