Can't sleep

I'm just busy, not scared—I promise. [READER]( I have not been sleeping well lately. It might be because I've recently started my monthlong horror movie marathon in celebration of Halloween. The pictures haven't scared me enough to keep me up at night—though I am frightened by the fact that I managed to sit through all of Fried Barry, a film so tedious I might as well have been staring at the spot on my wrist where a watch should be. But I'm attempting to make more time in my day for a new project that requires my attention for a couple hours, and it's an endeavor I'm taking on mostly in solitude. (I did, however, watch Uwe Boll's [House of the Dead]( with a few friends last night via Google Meet; I accidentally dozed off halfway through the movie, which is perhaps the best thing I can say about an Uwe Boll feature.) For the most part, I'm not taking this time out of my daily routine, just lumping it on at the end of busy days. Which is how I've found myself staying up later than usual to watch [Basket Case]( for the second time. (I have no regrets.) Seeing through a brief project like this can feel like a chore when I'm stressed and sleepless. As much as I love autumn, I'm usually running on steam by the time October begins. Yet I plow ahead with my monthlong movie marathon. I've found it's nice to make sure I have a little time to myself for a silly, fun project for myself, regardless of whether or not it enriches my life tomorrow or just those couple hours I'm watching a movie I may surely forget tomorrow. And it's nice to remind myself I can still make time for creative projects for myself no matter how small or frivolous they may seem; I need to be able to do that before I can take on larger, more cumbersome projects. So, you see, that's why I'm a little sleepy. And definitely not because I found [I Know What You Did Last Summer]( the least bit scary. Sincerely, Announcing the Chicago Reader's 50th anniversary giveaway Celebrate with us by winning something for you! It’s officially the Reader’s 50th anniversary! We are kicking off this year’s celebration with a prize giveaway. Starting today until November 19, we are running a 50-day giveaway to some of the best Chicago establishments. We’ll have concert tickets, theater tickets, gift certificates to popular restaurants and retailers, and more. The best part about 50 Days of Reader Giving is all members of the Chicago Reader’s Reader Revolutionary membership program will be automatically entered to win prizes for the entire 50-day giveaway. [Enter for your chance to win!]( ["OG Stevo on the origins of the OG family, and why rappers need to give the people a show,"]( by Matt Harvey (The Triibe) ["The many mysteries of folk singer Karen Dalton, revealed,"]( by Erin Osmon (Washington Post) ["An Interview With Clean Dirt, the Producer Rxk Nephew Dissed on His Own Beat,"]( by Alphonse Pierre (Pitchfork) Hotline TNT, [Nineteen in Love]( JR BLAC, [BLAC WORLD]( Various Artists, [exit 002]( Mace, [Beef]( [Julia Ducournau takes the wheel with Titane]( It’s a ride worth taking—if you can stomach it. by [Cody Corrall]( [Black as Night breathes new life into vampire cinema]( The Blumhouse release examines power structures with lots of fun scares. by [Catey Sullivan]( [Dementia 13]( Dementia 13 remains undeniably thrilling almost 60 years after its original release. by [Becca James]( [Ministry continue to rage on their 15th album, Moral Hygiene]( by [Monica Kendrick]( [Bummer’s noise-rock rippers provide a glimpse into their midwestern nightmare]( by [Brad Cohan]( [Issue of Sept 30 - Oct 13, 2021 Vol. 50, No. 27]( [Download Issue]( (PDF) 1971 Chicagoans have relied on the Reader for trusted alternative coverage of our city. The Chicago Reader is now a 501c3 nonprofit organization which means our survival is in your hands. In order to continue to be your trusted alternative voice of Chicago, we need your help. If you can donate just $5 today, we can show the world that community funded, independent journalism is the future. [DONATE TODAY!]( [View this e-mail as a web page]( [@chicago_reader]( [/chicagoreader]( [@chicago_reader]( [Chicago Reader on LinkedIn]( [/chicagoreader]( [chicagoreader.com]( [Forward this e-mail to a friend](. Want to change how you receive these e-mails? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list](. Copyright © 2021 Chicago Reader, All rights reserved. You are receiving this e-mail after having opted in to one or more of our newsletters, memberships, or e-mail lists via our website, Facebook, or at an event. Our mailing address is: Chicago Reader 2930 S. Michigan Ave. Suite 102Chicago, IL 60616 [Add us to your address book](