Everyone knows that summer is the best time to get together with friends and hit up the neighborhood bar. There’s nothing like a ice cold beer (or cider) on a scorching 85+ degree day. However, that wonderful beer induced cool, calm, and collected state is fragile. You, or someone you love, could be just one swig away from committing the ultimate party foul…playing something horrible on the jute box. *gasp!

We here at a Different Direction are here to help. We have thoughtfully compiled a woefully incomplete but extremely accurate list of songs one should never play in a bar…please, share it.

We here at a Different Direction have been plagued all week by Windows SP3 bugs…we hate Microsoft. Seriously. Note the evil computer has some lovely dead pixels on the monitor.

Also, what’s up with the abbreviated names for Chicago neighborhoods? I mean South North Avenue at Clybourn is now being marketed as SoNo, which is a total no – give it up!

We decided to rename some other Chicago neighborhoods in a similar fashion.
Maybe we can start up a clothing company and give neighborhoodies a run for their money.

South Loop = SoLo
Downtown = DoTo
River North = RiNo
River West = RiWe
Wicker Park = WiPa
West Bucktown = WeBu
West Town = WeTo
Logan Square = LoSquo
Humboldt Park = HuPa
Lincoln Park = LiPa
Buena Park = BuPa
Wriglyville = WriVi
Uptown = UpTo
Roscoe Village = RoVi
Andersonville = AnVi
Ravenswood = RaWo
Edgewater = EdWa
Hyde Park = HyPa
Ravenswood Mannor = RaMa
Lincoln Square = LiSquo
Old Town = OlTo
Rodgers Park = RoPa
Little Village = LiVi
Bronzeville = BroVi
Gold Coast = GoCo
Chinatown = ChiTo
Pilsen = PiSe
Bridgeport = BriPo
Southport = SoPo
Lakeview = LaVi
West Loop = WeLo
University Village = UnVi

Cha, cha, cha, chia…

Here it is the groove slightly transformed
Just a bit of a break from the norm
Just a little somethin to break the monotony
Of all that hardcore dance that has gotten to be
A little bit out of control its cool to dance
But what about the groove that soothes that moves romance
Give me a soft subtle mix
And if aint broke then dont try to fix it
And think of the summers of the past
Adjust the base and let the alpine blast
Pop in my cd and let me run a rhyme
And put your car on cruise and lay back cause this is summertime

– Will Smith

Some of the single folks here at a Different Direction have been playing the cat and mouse game of dating on the interweb.

The rules (for chicks)

1. No fake photos
2. Don’t be shy – save it 4IRL
3. Look for common interests
4. Keep it cashz – you don’t have to marry the guy
5. Playing virtual hard to get is a waste of your membership fee
6. Do use smile faces like:
   🙂 😛 😦 😉 >:0
7. Do use abbreviations like OMG, OMFG, LMAO, LOL, IRL, H8, & ROTFLUTS in chat rooms
   Don’t use them in emails

The rules (for dudes)

1. No virtual gifts via facebook or OKCupid
2. No e-stalking/over messaging
3. Be NICE, you’re a gentleman, remember?
4. True to yourself
5. Don’t waste time – if you’re not interested say so or stop writing back
6. Don’t be smarmy and ask for address and/or phone #

The continent names of the new and improved planet earth are Whichtopia, Republic of Beckerton, and Marcland.