DAVID'S PLACE:

I am just another guy sitting in my kitchen chair trying to figure out how to become a successful author. I just read David Baldacci's autobiography who is the best selling author and he made writing seem so easy. He made it sound like just telling an interesting story to a friend was the trick. I am a 75 year old male who is retired and disinterested in almost everything I have been doing lately besides talking to my family of kids and grandkids. Writing seems like the one way I can justify an admittedly indulged existence only because of the good fortune of a well endowed family and some lucky business success. Otherwise, I feel very empty sitting out here in Florida far away from my roots in Chicago. I never saw the point in going to school so I en1ded up graduating last in my class in both grade school and high school then got kicked out of 3 colleges and inducted into the army at the height of the Vietnam war. Being scared to death of actually being sent to fight I fooled the ...

There ought to be a law against people who go to a Starbucks bathroom, flush the toilet, turn on the hand blower, and then do not immediately open the door and leave. It’s so rude to Starbucks bathroom users who stand outside the toilet door listening to the hand dryer thinking they will be able to relieve themselves when the blower goes silent. Just the other day I stopped at a new Starbucks which is in the center of Chicago. I had a fierce urge to take urinate. My old seventy one year old bladder was bursting.   I entered and looked at the single bathroom door and there was no one waiting to go in. Relief, I felt happy for a second. Then, I turned the handle of the door and it was locked. “Crap,” I mumbled quietly. I started swaying nervously waiting to hear the toilet flush. It did. Than, the hand blower started blasting away. The sure sign that the person inside was ready to exit. Thank goodness, I thought. Relief was a few seconds away. I then heard the blower turn o...

I have written a lot for a long time in my seventy one one plus years of existence. I have started novels, short stories, essays, autobiographies, screenplays. You name it. I have ground out a lot of words. Unfortunately, all my words have gone in the junk heap. I do not know that I have ever written anything good. I really don't know yet if I can really write. My stuff has never being published other than on my pathetic blog. I once owned a small business newspaper for which I wrote a weekly publishers opinion column, usually in the middle of the night some forty years ago. Now, I am seventy one, divorced, with a big, loving family that is in great shape.  Fortunately, I have been very lucky so that in my twilight years I have ended up with almost no responsibilities other than walking my girlfriends little dog. He is a five year old American Eski. I've fallen madly in love with him in the year he has been living with us in beautiful southern Florida. I never knew I could be s...

Normally, I would take forever to start writing this article. I would check my blogger statistics, I would see if I earned any money in the last few days, (which I almost never do) I would jealously check out other successful blogs, or focus on anything other then getting to work and just writing.  Kinda stupid cause I love to write. I wish I knew I had talent. I have this blog with several hundred articles, and stories. It makes me feel worthwhile as a contributing human being that the world can gain something constructive from. But, I get so little traffic it is pathetic. However, I just do not understand how to build an audience because I am too old and not computer literate enough to apply the necessary skills to get a respectable following. It is not Googles fault. They are aware of my problems. I am worth money and readership to Google and their advertisers who run ads on my blog. They send me reports and technical information including steps regarding...

This punk called for a ride in my cab. He gets in the car after making me wait for about 15 minutes while he walked down into the street from his garbage can of an apartment building. He got in the cab and I asked "where would you like to go, sir"? This gross looking little asshole immediately buried his face in his cell phone. He answers me, "just drive straight ahead'. I'll tell you where to go". He  is immediately very absorbed in an obviously shady conversation about where to meet someone to make a drop off. That is what I can interpret. Seems like a dope deal getting set up  I didn't care but I still wanted to know what part of town we were going to. It is Chicago after all.. I drive another couple blocks and then he says "turn here". It was into a street that goes right to the most dangerous ghetto  in Chicago. I got even more concerned when he mumbled that we have to make more stops along the way after the first one.  I  decided I ...

I recently ate dinner with a friend at Brazzaz  Brazilian Steakhouse. I had purchased a Groupon for $25.00 providing $50.00 of food. Unfortunately, I printed out the receipt instead of the actual coupon. When it came time to pay the bill the people at Brazzaz could not accept the receipt. They said I needed the actual coupon. So, I was stuck. Two people on the staff, Carlos and Samra were amazingly sympathetic. They tried to print the coupon and tried to figure out whatever else anyone could think of . No luck. Finally, my friend made a plea to these two concerned people to give us a break and just give us a reduction on the bill. They did!! Just because they cared. So, hats off to you Brazzaz at 539 N. Dearborn St. in Chicago, Il. # 312-595-9000 email info@brazzaz.com You have wonderful employees especially the two who went above and beyond the call of duty to relieve our stress. We will be back for more of your wonderful food that I could not get enough of.  I must have...

Here's some good information about a Home Depot store located at 2655 N. Halsted in Chicago.This is not a paid plug but comes from the bottom of my heart.  I went to this store on December 2, 2013 just as they had closed. I walked up 3 flights of stairs because the elevators were off. I was determined to buy a kitchen fire extinguisher. The lights were being shut off as I yelled to a man who looked like a manager.  I told him I had to buy the extinguisher and and asked if he would  help me? He smiled, walked me over to the fire extinguishers, put the one I was looking for in my hand, and had a cashier open her register and check me out. He then got the elevator working so I would not have to walk back down the steps. Now, mind you, I'm am not sickly or handicapped. I don't look like a guy who needs any special treatment. He was just a good employee and a good human being.. I just called the store and spoke to Erin who gave me the name of Joe who  was the man wh...

Lincoln Station  773-472-8100 Lincoln Park's Favorite Neighborhood Bar & Grill  This is one fine sports bar and restaurant. A friendly atmosphere, lots of T.V's  great food with economical daily specials, a big, comfortable bar with a huge selection of beer and wine. It's located at 2432 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago right next to the hot intersection of Lincoln, Fullerton, and Halsted.   It is popular and they do get busy but never too busy to give their customers TLC. I have alway felt comfortable there and I'm a little older then most of the regulars and new customers. Try their dynamite chicken wings or hamburgers. They also deliver. Check out this fun, relaxing establishment. You will be happy you did. http://lincolnstation.com/

It was another match.com date with a 65 year old man and a 62year old woman. Except this is the date that I did not want to ever end. It started innocently enough, after a few online misfires, with lunch at a Greek restaurant in Chicago. It ended several hours later with a connection that I am overwhelmed by. She is magnificent in her sensitivity, intellect and rare, unaffected beauty. We found that certain indefinable common ground quickly as we had a drink and ordered some food. After she spoke a few words I knew she was a rarity. A non-egocentric, kind, classy, intellectual strong and sensual woman of great experience and insight. Only she did not come off as anything but a very sweet lady who knew her way around. I looked at her and immediately was swept away. After lunch, which lasted a long time I blurted out "do you want to go play?" and she said "sure." My heart skipped a beat. Maybe she liked me? We walked around this big food market tourist attract...

Driving through some Chicago streets is like riding a jeep in the mountains. Take Pratt Blvd. between Sheridan Rd. and Western Av. It's like riding through a mine field. You have these crews fixing roads all over the city. That's good. But, how about a few crews assigned to some torn up areas on the north side? Someone take a tour between Foster Av on the south, Devon Av on the north, Sheridan Rd. on the east and Western av on the west. You'll be so shaken up after that ride you may hurl you last meal. How about some prudent evaluation by Streets and Sanitation about the condition of many streets? Some simple patchwork might help a lot. Listening Mayor Rahm Emanuel