Games on Addison: ‘Tis the Season

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It’s the holidays, which means it’s time for board games!

Naturally, board games are perfect for every season. And, naturally, the holidays are about more than board games (ostensibly). But it’s also a season when you have an overabundance of family time, down time, and “what should we do now” time. If there’s a more perfect time to play more games, I haven’t experienced it.

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‘Tis the season to play more game.

Below is a list. A series of suggestions, hopefully some of which are new or different. It’s not exhaustive, which tells you how much board games have exploded in popularity of late. I’ve stuck with titles that can be found at your Friendly Local Gaming Store, and tried to hew towards games released in the last year or so (or had expansions released recently). Many of them also have digital versions you can try before going analog, and some have been featured on Tabletop.

It’s also a highly subjective list, in that I enjoy playing them all. [Read more…]

the Fifth Line: the Long Game

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The NHL season is one-third over, and after the twists and turns, we still have a few surprises sticking around. One thing that isn’t a surprise, though? The Blackhawks are again looking like a Stanley Cup finalist.

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Hooray!

Everything is Awesome

Since we last looked at the ‘Hawks, they’ve put up another flawless week, winning three of three games. One against a solid Eastern team (Montreal), one against a dangerous Western team (Nashville), and one against their archenemy (rookie goaltenders, in the form of New Jersey’s Keith Kincaid). [Read more…]

Made of Books: Growing Out of Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead

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Image of Gary Cooper and Patricia Neal from The Fountainhead

 

Made of Books is a monthly column (partly inspired by hero Roxane Gay) where Christina discusses writing that has been meaningful to her, in one way or another.

I was 15 when I stumbled across mention of Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead in the local paper. I hadn’t heard of the philosophical and romantic tale of Individualism before, but something, I don’t remember what, in that article piqued my interest. I found a tattered copy printed in the 1960s at a used bookstore. It had a romance novel-y image in the lower right: a naked man’s arm is wrapped around the waist of a similarly naked woman, her hand is on his neck, and her face is tilted up, eyes are closed in an expression of pleasure. I bought it for $1.

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Three Poppy Punk Chicago Bands to See This Month

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At a recent Swimsuit Addition show, someone turned to me and very sincerely asked “What if there are no rules anymore?” The four-piece sprawls over their music, and they’re in absolute control of evil beach punk.

Swimsuit Addition is celebrating the release of their new 7 song TANKS! EP with a free show at Emporium Barcade this Thursday, Dec. 11th. It’s great if they’re the only ones who know the rules.

Oh no, a pop punk band with fun synth bits who mention pizza. People do it, and Absolutely Not does it so much better. Their longest song is 2:39, but the number of stop-and-gape hooks they jam into each one is staggering.

They’re headlining a great (and free) Chicago Singles Club lineup at the Empty Bottle on Monday, Dec. 29th. If you don’t dance, you’ll be trampled.

The meanest band here, Meat Wave favors music that drives along non-stop until your chin is on the floor. Don’t worry, the payoff is consistent, and you’ll get up for more.

Go see them for a New Year’s Eve show at Reggie’s ($25-$30) before they kick off a U.K. tour. Then check back on their new EP landing around January 19th.

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New Year Bonus Round: Ian’s Party starts January 1st and ends on the 4th. All the bands mentioned here will be playing various venues around Logan Square. Even if you dive in with no direction, you’ll get a fistful of quality local music.

Four Men, One Woman, and a Bit of Meh: The 2014 Grammy Album of the Year Nominees

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One of these people may be winning Album of the Year again, and it isn't one of the dudes in helmets.

One of these people may be winning their own Album of the Year Grammy this year, and it isn’t one of the dudes in helmets.

Last year, I wrote a review of all five Grammy nominees for Album of the Year. This year, in the Addison Recorder’s never-ending endeavor to always stay culturally abreast, I’m doing it again. (I’m also doing it again because no one else is crazy enough to try this.)

[Read more…]

2014 in Review – Things We Liked

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2014’s been a busy year! Because of this, we’re looking back on things we did or didn’t like in the year, as well as looking forward to what has already gotten us excited for 2015. This is the first part of the series, where we talk about our favorite discoveries of the year.

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#BlackLivesMatter: Marching for Eric Garner in Chicago

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Let me begin by making the following statement:

The Addison Recorder is not a political blog. We talk about popular culture here, and how it affects us at large. We shy away from politics – it’s not our specialty by any means. With that being said, the recent events in Ferguson, MO, New York, Cleveland, etc. (too many to list, sadly) have transcended pure politics and instead have become a cultural movement, a moment of recognition of how people relate to one another in America. This is a national moment, a historical moment, and that’s what drove me to the streets of downtown Chicago on Thursday night (12/4/14) to protest the failure to indict the police officers responsible for the choke-hold death of Eric Garner. I was joined in this by Alex, Andrew, and over a thousand other outraged citizens. Surreal, exhilarating, at times terrifying, it was something that needed to be done.

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Mr. Rostan at the Movies: The Awards Season Cometh

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rsz_screen-shot-2014-04-25-at-115930-amAndrew Rostan was a film student before he realized that making comics was his horrible destiny, but he’s never shaken his love of cinema. Every two weeks, he’ll opine on either current pictures or important movies from the past.

In an annual tradition, Andrew and Alex commence their Oscar coverage with this preview of how the nominations will work out. Andrew will return solo in two weeks with more in-depth movie reviews.

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the Fifth Line: the NHL’s Flying Circus

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That was an interesting week of hockey. Chicago picked up wins while avoiding the circus (literally), Martin Brodeur is now a Blue, the NHL suddenly is very interested in vaccines, and we were treated to Jack Edwards belly-aching about not the Bruins getting the Black Friday afternoon game.

We’ll start with the circus, because everybody loves the big top. Except the Blackhawks’ GM.

Circus is Back in Chicago

The Blackhawks closed out November with its annual circus trip, a two-week tour through the arenas of NHL teams in the Mountain and Pacific time zones. It’s called the “circus trip” because the gods-damned Ringling Bros. kick the ‘Hawks out of the United Center for two weeks. Seriously.

629-59Zr0.AuSt.55The trip was a bounty of wins (5-1-0), and the team returned home last night, stomping the St. Louis Blues to the tune of 4-1. The line of Brad Richards, Patrick Kane, and Kris Versteeg shredded St. Louis in the 3rd period, continuing their November ascendance. The Blackhawks’ second line has been damn near unstoppable of late. Chicago was lauded for taking a one-year chance on the aging Richards after the Rangers kicked him to the curb to save money. But Richards was also a risk — he’s in the twilight of his career, and was demoted to the Rangers’ fourth line in the playoffs last season. So far, though, he’s turned into the second-line center that Kane needed all of last year. [Read more…]

Addison Recorder Pick ‘Em Week Fifteen – Championship Edition

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Welcome to the Addison Recorder‘s football Pick ‘Em column. Each week Alex and a guest writer will predict the outcome of the most intriguing games on the slate. He will try to be as expert as possible, but we make no guarantees for his guests.

Actually, I’m gonna fly solo this week. I’ve loved having all my guests contribute, but I’ll close college football’s season being the lone voice shouting into the void.

Bowling Green Falcons MAC Champs

My folks paid thousands of dollars to subsidize this in my time at BGSU.

Northern Illinois vs Bowling Green

The rematch in the MAC Championship is a good place to start. Two years ago, North Illinois managed to run all the way to the Orange Bowl after winning this game. Last year, Bowling Green walked in and knocked off the defending champs and their Heisman-finalist QB Jordan Lynch to win their first conference title in 20 years. So despite the requisite coaching turnovers at both schools, it seems appropriate that both are back. That being said, this probably won’t be much of a game. The Huskies are 10-2 and have a punishing rushing attack. BG is 7-5 and has seen its defense regress from a year ago. So I say sorry to my Alma Mater. NIU by 17. [Read more…]