I’m very good at self-diagnosis. Every 45 minutes I have the urge to pee like Seabiscuit.

Sam and I woke up way too early this morning. He has a rare (for Sam) problem with insomnia and I’m trying to fight off the early signs of a bladder infection, which actually began on Friday. (I’m very good at self-diagnosis. Every 45 minutes I have the urge to pee like Seabiscuit except it doesn’t happen.) To cheer me up Sam went to McDonald’s this morning to buy me a Sausage McMuffin. Marriage is a fine institution.

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In other news, we had a completely excellent and unforgettable lunch yesterday at Hong Kong Royal and consumed our weight in dumplings, pork buns, tofu rolls, hot sauce and Diet Coke. On the way out I ordered one of their regular menu entrees — Pan Fried Noodles with Shrimp and Green Things (technically, bok choy and Chinese broccoli) — to bring home for dinner, and it was just as excellent and unforgettable. Oy!

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I grew up in Chicago — you already knew this, right? — and really get a kick out of old historical photos of the city. Yesterday I found some gems on the Chicago Tribune’s website. They’re pictures of Maxwell Street, one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city of Chicago dating back to 1847 that was always a gateway for new immigrants. From 1880 through the mid-1920s Maxwell Street was mostly eastern European Jews, and here’s what it looked like with the pushcarts and crowds. From top to bottom, the photos below were taken in 1905, 1910 and 1926. (My mother actually remembers going to Maxwell Street as a little girl in the 1920s.)

The birth of Chicago blues originated here in the 1930s when African-American musicians migrated from the south. As a point of reference, Maxwell Street was used for the outdoor music sequence in The Blues Brothers (1980) featuring legendary blues musician John Lee Hooker. (He sang “Boom Boom Boom Boom.” Remember?)

Holy crap, I guess I drifted off on a tangent for a few minutes. This happens a LOT lately, most likely due to Howdygram headquarters’ recent Cheetos shortage. Sam is presently at Wal-Mart to remedy the situation and also buy some teeny bottles of Coke Zero to stock our new mini fridge in the study.

I love my life. Have a swell Sunday, okay?