Twenty Something

Snow

The room was suddenly rich, and the great bay window was
Spawning snow and pink roses against it
Soundlessly collateral and incompatible:
World is suddener than we fancy it.

World is crazier and more of it than we think,
Incorrigibly plural. I peel and portion
A Tangerine and spit the pips and feel
The drunkenness of things being various.

And the fire flames with a bubbling sound for world
Is more spiteful and gay than one supposes—
On the tongue on the eyes on the ears in the palms
of one’s hand—
There is more than glass between the snow and the
huge roses.

—Louis MacNeice

First Day of Unoffical Work...CHECK!

OKay. So, I have yet to have my REAL first day of work. I trained in Cali for a week and today I went into our Chicago office (for the first time) and went through some more training with our administrative assistant. She’s awesome. My team is awesome. The location of my office is awesome…right in the center of downtown (it makes me feel like a big city slicker, my Houston city slicker history doesn’t count). Everything is awesome…minus the dreaded Chicago winter. Everyone, including the natives, say that it is one of the most horrible experiences in the world.

I’ve only been in Chicago, once during the winter. And only for three days. It wasn’t that bad…I mean, there was snow…it was cold…I couldn’t feel my nose…. I’m sure I’ll be complaining a lot more in a couple of days. Especially after my “long” walk to the “L.” Until then I’m off to Houston for my first Business trip. Gonna go enjoy some 70 degree weather for what may be the last time in a long while.

Yay. I’m all grown up. Kind of.

CHICAGO MISSING PERSON - PLEASE HELP - PLEASE REBLOG

fuckkyeahchicago:

CHICAGO MISSING PERSON - PLEASE HELP - PLEASE REBLOG

jenawith1n:

If anyone knows anything about his whereabouts, anything small, rumors that you hear, anything, please contact Eric Graf or the Chicago Police Department.  All the information is below.  We are all very worried.

Chris

To Whom It May Concern: We are asking people all over Chicago to help find a missing friend. You may know C.T. Ballentine, a very talented artist who lives in the McKinley Park neighborhood of Chicago.  He has been missing since Friday, and all of his friends are worried about him. He’s been going through some difficult times, and has recently shaved his head. As you can read in the attached flyer, he is a writer, sound engineer, performer and active member of the Chicago’s young artist community. We would appreciate it if you could read this, and help us put it into as many hands as possible. If you have any questions, please feel free to call Eric Graf.  His number is at the top of the flyer. Thank you in advance for your help. Sincerely, Friends of C.T. Ballentine

PLEASE READ THIS AND KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR C.T. BALLENTINE OF CHICAGO.  HE IS MISSING, AND WE ARE WORRIED ABOUT HIM.

He was last seeing wearing dark cut off pants over sweatpants and a jean jacket. He has recently shaved his head.

There is a Missing Persons Report with the Chicago Police.  If you have any information on his location please call 9-1-1 immediately.  You can ask for confidentiality, if you want.

PLEASE SPREAD THIS MAILING FAR AND WIDE.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS CALL ERIC GRAF AT 773-934-6519

MISSING PERSONS REPORT: Christian “C.T.” Ballentine of the McKinley Park neighborhood of Chicago.

Christian “C.T.” Ballentine was last seen at his apartment in McKinley Park on Chicago’s South Side Friday, Nov. 6, at 3 p.m.

BIO:

Ballentine was born in Kentucky in 1982, but came to Chicago in 1993 when his father became pastor at St. Philittus Church of Christ in the McKinley Park neighborhood of Chicago. He went on to graduate from Schaumburg High School in 2001, subsequently attending Elmhurt College and Northeast Illinois University. Ballentine has most recently been an active member of the Chicago literary community, coeditingTHE2NDHAND literary broadsheet and online magazine and publishing his work there and in a host of other venues. Recently, the Orange Alert reading series featured a piece of Ballentine’s that may be found here: http://www.orangealert.net/node/411

In addition to his literary work, Ballentine is also considered a very knowledgablemember of the Chicago music scene and has been working as a sound engineer, producer, and music critic for many years. He worked as a sound engineer at the music venue Ronnie’s in Logan Square and most recently at the Whistler and elsewhere. He was interviewed for a presentation on underground music and the strong community that builds up around basement shows given by Tobias Caroll at the esteemed Experience Music Project’s annual Pop Conference in Seattle, and the paper presented can be found here: http://www.yourbestguess.com/scowl/from-a-basement-show-on-a-hill/

Ballentine has likewise reviewed and profiled numerous bands from across the musical spectrum and written feature articles on a broad assortment of topics. Ballentine is an editor for THE2NDHAND, a national literary concern founded in Chicago whose website can be found at www.THE2NDHAND.com. Several literary journals have publishedBallentine’s fictional work. Ballentine was the founder and publisher of now defunctAftercrossword Special, a literary zine hilighting both fiction and art.

He was last seen at his apartment in McKinley Park on Chicago’s South Side Friday, Nov. 6, around 3 p.m. He was preparing for the launch of a new performance series to be held at The Whistler entitled “So You Think You’ve Got Nerves of Steel” to launch this Monday, November 9th at 8 p.m. and to occur on the second Monday of every month. The series will feature some of Chicago’s best writers and performers. All proceeds from the series will go to benefit a budding music program forunderpriveleged south-side youth. Event release can be found here: http://www.the2ndhand.com/events/events.html The Facebook page for the series is here: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=91560755721&ref=nf

Further Information:

Ballentine has organized and hosted many events, including a handful of THE2NDHAND readings. Images from one of those events in 2007 can be seen here:

http://chicago.going.com/event-144809;THE2NDHAND_MIXTAPE_Stories_About_Songs

Balentine also recently finished production on an album by the band ‘Plan B’ and was very happy about the results of these recording and production sessions. The band’s MySpace page contains some of their older work and can be found here: http://www.myspace.com/planband

Ballentine occasionally worked organizing for a series at Hungry Brain curated by Brandon Weatherby.

Musician with:

Cup & String (http://www.myspace.com/cupnstring) and 1997 among many others.

Ballentine plays guitar, banjo, harmonica and can be seen performing here with 1997 at Ronny’s in Logan Square: http://www.youtube.com/user/calebpepp#p/u/1/EwHtaL04e3w

PICTURES ARE HERE: http://holdmyhorses.livejournal.com/7587.html
—

I KNOW THIS PERSON

PLEASE READ THIS ARTICLE

IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE CALL THE POLICE

PLEASE

PLEASE REBLOG, PLEASE

http://loveyourchaos.tumblr.com/post/237570646/chicago-missing-person-please-help-please-reblog