This is the first post for Totally NOT RANDOM Friday. Of course you knew that already because it says Episode 1 on the title. Ha! TNRF (pronounced "to nerf") is where the stories are made up but the pictures are real! The only rule is that each photo used has to be from a different photographer. On a 'wonderfully' stormy and cold October day, what could be better I ask you?

Note: the story text is in italics and bold and appear on top of the photos.[ed]

We were rushing downtown for the show but managed to get this shot of the skyline from the cab. Chicago is so beautiful; blurry but still very good-looking.

Chicago by night by car
by WillemGT

Somehow we had decided weeks ago to see this show. I wasn't feeling it all day. Maybe it was the rain. 

Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers
by The Shifted Librarian

I can die happy now, having seen the most amazing performance of "Orange Blossom Special" ever, followed by "Banjo Tut." This was a fantastic show, and if they're coming to your city, YOU SHOULD GO. If they're not, you should buy their respective albums. 

I'm not sure why Steve Martin looked so perplexed. He was very funny.

Steve Martin at the Cadillac Palace Theater
by yooperann

This is what I thought of the show

Lost Going Nowhere
by uptowner

But in any case, we did get some cool iphone pics!

yet more iphone pics - 227.jpg

by Additive Theory

I wish I can do that...
by mdanys

that's what probably on the mind of my boy below looking at this girl

Invisible Umbrella
by swanksalot

barefooting it, Wacker Drive 

'ference shoes
by marylkayoe

ditched shoes completely 2 days ago (Society for Neuroscience meeting 2009, Chicago,IL) 

Newlyweds at the Crown Fountain
by kevindooley

Here's the first of a set of pics of an unknown newlywed couple at Chicago's Crown Fountain in Millennium Park. You can see the photographer walking in front of the couple... he's going to be taking his shoes off real soon; you can see the groom is already barefoot...

For everyone who has commented in this and the other pictures from the "set" about whether I was bothering the real wedding photographer--there were dozens of us snapping away pictures at them. You don't go to Millennium Park in the summer and expect much privacy! In general, I am sensitive to "stealing" another photographer's shot and I think you have to feel out the situation. In this case, since there were so many others doing it too, and it was such a public place, I figured it was OK as long as I kept at a distance (hence the noisiness in the closeups). (Explore)

don't pretend
by Merrick Brown

Photo Booth
by jasmined

This girl sat inside making fake beeping noises. You'd feed $2 into her slot (!) turn the felt dial to choose a card, and the card would slide out of another slot. 

Hello Chicago
by EeSLee

I was just pretending! I swear!

this is where i get freaked
by smussyolay

i'm really open minded about sexuality, toys, videos, etc. but, this is the section that creeps me out. the fake body, blow up doll, latex body part section. it's just the pinnacle of objectification of women. 

although i'm not a fan of prostitution (especially the way it is handled in this country/culture), i'd possibly rather like to think of the idea that a guy who was that jacked up would just pay for a live person rather than just fucking a body part. 

??? has anyone ever seen the real sex on HBO where you can buy a real life, real weighted, real in just about every way person for about $10,000 from this one company? it's pretty scary. 

Spinach Noodles
by philipyk

Allison helped me work up some spinach noodes for a fun dinner. We made most of the noodle dough into sheets for ravioli, my first try at this. With the rest of the dough we made noodles. 

Green and Macro are two of my favorite things! 

fake holga pasta
by qousqous

Penne Pasta with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Rapini - Vivo
by swanksalot

I could go for a good lunch right about now… 

Pasta con gambas y salsa de tomate (o algo asín)
by chispita_666

Three salads at Caffe Bacci
by John Kannenberg

Please excuse my week-long leave of absence. I've been crazy busy with prop making for a theater company and working part-time at a gallery. I'm back and ready to rock this blog! Btw, more on the Cross Cup here and to save you a trip to google, here's the link to the Botanic Gardens. [ed]

6J9Q0280
by ewwhite

bonzai
by IVwilsonIV

6J9Q0241
by ewwhite

lily pads
by IVwilsonIV

yellow
by IVwilsonIV

6J9Q0298
by ewwhite