How small, these strands of thought

Linking us one by one through the vastness of memory.

Once, years ago, I came across a website called the Hall of Doors. A choose-your-own-adventure site with glorious writing, I bookmarked it for later perusal, returning only to find it shut down. A year later (and this was around '97, mind) I saw a familiar name on a mailing list devoted to one of my favorite authors. "Are you the Hall of Doors creator?" I emailed him. "I loved your site." Indeed it was, and my message sparked him to open the hall once more, crediting me as a force that caused him to do so. I'm still amazed how I ran into him (figuratively speaking, of course.)

I shouldn't be surprised, therefore, at seeing the following photo (fifth down), taken from a site recommended by my parents' friends' son. Got all that? I used to live there, you see. That was a street I walked up and down numerous times when I lived in London. To find it on a random website took my breath.

Furthermore, since I live in Chicago and all, I should be even less than surprised to see prominent mention made on Metromix's front page (it being the bible of all things to do in the city) of an event my acquaintance Devin Breen is putting on tomorrow. Y'all remember Devin's divine headshots of me, right? He's just spent the past several months organising the Chiditarod, "Chicago's most absurd shopping cart race."

• The Chiditarod is an "Urban Iditarod". Teams of 5 complete complete a race around the city of Chicago for fabulous prizes and glory. Instead of dogs, we have humans. Instead of sleds, we have shopping carts. The harsh environment stays.

I'm volunteering for check-in. I can't wait. As for now, I'm off to a speed-dating "Lock & Key" party, and after the Chiditarod tomorrow I'm going to see butterflies at a conservatory in Lincoln Park. Then it's the VIP bottle service I won at a nightclub, followed by a Sunday afternoon Oscar party. It's your typical party, with a twist:

• Please bring a dish to pass or a drink to sip, and it *must* be appropriately named. Be it Reese's Pieces cookies in honor of nominee Reese Witherspoon, or a German stout lager in honor of Munich.
  

With the help of my friend Esther in London, I'm bringing KeIRa knightly ROYALE. Get it? Oh, soooo funny!

The stories I'll tell...