Looking for someone to talk to

Hello, I was just curious on everyone’s recommendations for party buses in the area. Don’t need anything too fancy lol thanks in advance!

Here's an update on the mural project to commemorate the band American Football in Champaign-Urbana! (The original description for the project is at the bottom of this post.)

1. I was impressed and really thankful for the amount of immediate support for the project. **The petition reached 88 signatures on the petition in just two weeks. (**I posted it twice on Facebook and once on Reddit.) Once it reaches 100 signatures, I will take it decision makers in the area to propose the project and find a site. Your signature on the petition would be really helpful; every signature helps to demonstrate community support. I'm leaning on this community on Reddit to help get it over the finish line.
2. After feedback from the community, we feel that the best location for the mural is in downtown Urbana, and the best image for the mural is the band's 1999 album cover. Not only is it the most identifiable image related to the band and to the genre of music as a whole -- but it is arguably the most famous photograph ever taken in Champaign-Urbana. A mural in downtown Urbana would be a beautiful reminder of the spirit this city as a whole, and a reminder of what is possible for people living here.

https://preview.redd.it/qc09uvmi5x2e1.png?width=1421&format=png&auto=webp&s=28c0dbb7383c651e290ac4da6348270d4daa1428

Side note: I have no affiliation with the band. My whole goal is to help take this city to the next level. =)

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In 1997, three University of Illinois students formed the band American Football. In their final four days of college in 1999, they recorded their self-titled album, American Football. Though they had modest expectations for the record, it has become beloved internationally and is ranked in the top 10 albums of 1999. (Check out the petition to read more information about the band and project.)

In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the album, this is a petition to gauge public support for a mural celebrating the band. Feel free to view the petition at the link below, and sign it if you'd like!

Read and sign the petition here!

Watch: American Football - Never Meant (Filmed in Champaign-Urbana)

Hey all, I’m looking to see if anyone on this group has family or friends that live around the area that own trucking companies, I’m looking for home daily, would prefer not to work for a farmer (as I am right now). Any ideas are helpful! Thank you very much.

I am moving to Charleston soon, and I am looking for a running club, as I would like to meet some people while also doing an activity that I love. Does either Charleston or Mattoon have one?

I recently moved to Charleston, and I know nobody here. What are some good places that EIU students and other younger people hang out at so I can meet some people around my age outside of work?

I am currently living in Decatur, and would prefer to remain in Decatur (Or at least as close to as I can, for my child’s sake. New father, would rather stay close)

It’s just my sister, brother, and myself. My child occasionally. Ideally a 3-5 bedroom house.

Most of the landlords here I’ve noticed work by word of mouth, and that’s hard for someone who isn’t originally from Decatur.

But if anyone potentially knows someone, or is someone, who has units for rent in or around Decatur that would be an absolute blessing right now!

I recently won a raffle at a climbing competition for a 1 year membership to TPG. As I don’t live nearby I was wondering if anyone would like to purchase it off me?

On their website they have an annual membership at $750 but I’m willing to go lower.

Please message me with inquiries.

Was looking at staying a night in Clinton. We're a mixed race queer couple; are we going to be getting funny looks? And are there things to do in town, or does everyone just drive to BloNo?

Thank you

Hello from Alabama! I’m a disabled queer person with trans kids looking to move to a blue state. I’ve been looking at houses in Illinois specifically as I have a very high opinion of Illinois as a state and of y’all’s Governor, J.B. Pritzker.

I’ve been looking and houses for sale in the Decatur area seem to fit in my budget - although honestly outside of Chicago, housing in general seems inexpensive compared to other blue states.

I want to ask locals, though - do you think my family and I would feel safe in a city like Decatur? Or are there other cities/towns I should be looking at?

My main concerns are whether I will be accepted as a lesbian, and also where there is a sizeable healthcare industry as I have a lot of health issues. I’m not concerned with how large and “happening” the city’s nightlife is or anything like that as I’m an old fuddy duddy - you’ll find me at the library lol.

Anyway thank you for reading and if you have the time and energy to respond please do! Thanks!

Recommendations for tattoo artist in C-U. Fairly basic lettering tat.

https://www.idaillinois.org/

We have digital archives available to look into some of the past history in Illinois also just a reminder there are digital archives for local museums too

This is a far fetched, but does anyone know of a restaurant in Central Illinois that’s literally in the middle of nowhere?

A few years ago, on a trip to Chicago from MO, we stopped in this place off the highway in a rural area. I remember eating a gyro there (I think it was a gyro) and it was phenomenal. It looked like it was in a white shed or trailer and it was stoner themed like had aliens and dirty humor. The employees said it was award winning and had been featured in magazines or something like that but I can’t for the life of me remember where this is. I’m headed home from Chicago but was wondering if anyone knew where this place was.

Heyoo. is anyone in here a history buff? if so do you have any monographs on central illinois during the 19th century?

Or, even, a favorite historian who specializes in illinois history? (has done work on central illinois)

it’s for my senior paper, so the requirements for it being a legit, university published, monograph is important.

Thanks in advance !

This gal has been unable to be placed and has run out of time at the rescue. Will travel to any central Illinois location if you have space for her.

Author & Podcast Host Margaret Killjoy is Coming to Bloomington this Saturday!

We're so excited to welcome author Margaret Killjoy to the shop for a meet & greet and book signing on Saturday, October 19th!

Margaret will be stopping at Bobzbay Books while touring in support of her latest release, The Sapling Cage, described as "a tale of earth magic, power struggle, and self-invention in an own-voices story of trans witchcraft."

We'll have copies of The Sapling Cage (out September 24th!) available to be signed, as well as a handful of each book on her backlist. If you're a fan of fantasy, speculative fiction, folk horror, dystopian sci-fi, and/or political fiction with anarchist principles, you won't want to miss this event!

All books will be available for purchase at the event while supplies last, but quantities are limited so pre-orders are highly encouraged! Reserve your book(s) here: https://bobzbay.square.site/mk

About the Author: Margaret Killjoy (she/they) is a transfeminine author, musician, and podcaster. Some of her other books include The Lamb Will Slaughter the Lion, A Country of Ghosts, We Won’t Be Here Tomorrow, and Escape from Incel Island. She is the host of the radical history podcast Cool People Who Did Cool Stuff and the individual and community preparedness podcast Live Like the World is Dying. She is the principal songwriter for the atmospheric black metal band Feminazgûl. She lives in West Virginia.

About The Sapling Cage: "Lorel has always dreamed of becoming a witch: learning magic, fighting monsters, and exploring the world beyond the small town where she and her mother run the stables. Even though a strange plague is killing the trees in the Kingdom of Cekon and witches are being blamed for it, Lorel wants nothing more than to join them. There’s only one problem: all witches are women, and she was born a boy.

When the coven comes to claim her best friend, Lorel disguises herself in a dress and joins in her friend’s place, leaving home and her old self behind. She soon discovers the dark powers threatening the kingdom: a magical blight scars the land, and the power-mad Duchess Helte is crushing everything between her and the crown. In spite of these dangers, Lorel makes friends and begins learning magic from the powerful witches in her coven. However, she fears that her new friends and mentors will find out her secret and kick her out of the coven, or worse."

To see what else is going on at Bobzbay Books, please visit: https://bobzbay.square.site/events

Are you an author interested in hosting a book signing at Bobzbay Books? Please visit: https://bobzbay.square.site/author-inquiries

Looking for bridal shops in the Bloomington-Normal area, but would be willing to drive 1-1.5 hours from there. Looking for a shop that has options under $1,000. If you could give any personal experiences that’d be great!

As I drove through several small towns this afternoon, and even past a couple of larger ones, I was struck by the question, what do people do for a living? How do you make your money? Most of the farmland is owned by corporations, though some people make their money from farming as most running farms are owned by families. But I have to believe there is a wide range of occupations among central Illinois Redditors. Care to share yours? I'll start by saying I work in a remote job as a project manager.

I found the view to be stunning.

Has anyone used a non official daycare person to watch your young child for all day care before? Like hiring another mom with children to watch your child for a full day on a consecutive bases?

Or has any mom watched another baby/toddler along with your own child/children on a consecutive bases? If so, did your rates look closer to a daycare rate or a babysitter rate?

I have the opportunity to watch a baby for 8 hours/day 3 days/week for several months alongside my own two toddlers and I’m not sure how much to charge. I’m finding the rates per hour for daycare (like $4-$6 an hour) are much different than a babysitter rate ($15-$20 an hour). I have my guesses but I’m curious why this is. I want my rate to be financially beneficial to my family if we take on this commitment but also reasonable for the other family.

Thanks in advance!