The Extraordinarium

12/24/2024

Having a tough time believing that the human spirit is surviving in these troubled times? You can become that spirit any time you like. There is so much need in this world, and giving of yourself is the perfect way to relieve it. Today, thanks in large part to the kind hearted donations of Laurie Fairbanks and Dan Imal, I was able to bring this bushel of toys to some kids living in a shelter for the holidays. There is something you can do to help, a way for us to be stronger and face down the harshness of this world of ours together.

12/18/2024

I need help this holiday season. Each year my store was open, I made a donation of toys to the Division Street location of The Primo Center (a women's and children's shelter) . I would show up after my store closed on X-Mas Eve anonymously with a bushel of toys so the children there would wake up with a bunch of toys to play with. This year due to cash and disease, I'm not sure if I can pull it off. Can you help? The contact info and address of shelter in comments.

07/15/2024

05/29/2024

Madnessday again, here's some lifesized posters I drew and hung in a window at a place one time.

04/18/2024

Its Madnessday again and time for another feature of my creative endeavors. Today, I'm revisiting my parody song from 2020. Keep Cloroxing In The Free World https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvEvAiyceYQ was a video concept I got about 40 of my friends to collab on by submitting cameo clips of them performing during the peak of the lockdown to keep spirits up and the cabin fever blues down. thank you to all the peeps who joined in on this grungy send up.

04/04/2024

For Madnessday (Wednesday plus madness) I am featuring another oldie from my album of home demos called "Blue And Yellow With Envy." Its a song about a time when I got destroyed by my choices and feeling a sense of envy at the me I could have been. (link in comments).

04/01/2024

Thank you so much to Block Club Chicago for The Extraordinarium article they just did reflecting on some of the challenges that I ran into trying to change the world and such. While there are key elements not detailed here that I still look to elaborate on at some point, I am so glad to know that there is an organization like Block Club out there dedicated to being supportive of small businesses and issues that would otherwise go neglected.

The pandemic undercut the owner's goal to host live shows and use the massive space as a community arts incubator, making it difficult to keep the shop going on sales, he said.

04/01/2024

Thank you so much to Block Club Chicago for The Extraordinarium article they just did reflecting on some of the challenges that I ran into trying to change the world and such.https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fblockclubchicago.org%2F2024%2F03%2F29%2Fthe-extraordinarium-closes-logan-square-gag-gift-shop-after-4-years%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR3A4b5765dseC1etbgHIxujLYKZdZq6vwobcu2KYvbpQwk-1o7TeMcCJE8_aem_AeYy_H3BF5IiX4df5iAcbVnNJHUn3hlK5tIBBgP9_OrAeQjlVIxMRcAgYFDRKDltFgkLNUAqHPXa0bpwriiABmEF&h=AT3J11Yr8iVwnSBL02ItoKfBqbeCq-0qqkTe508k-DveKUO-Rz8T0MBNtkT3--y0-LWjBSFSXnkaOm0f36vJYoZAf6o1R9eKlC9y1UOodD68LwNuiskJz4cPZ9ny_9_2GL-qUz7gaHlpwHo_kA While there are key elements not detailed here that I still look to elaborate on at some point, I am so glad to know that there is an organization like Block Club out there dedicated to being supportive of small businesses and issues that would otherwise go neglected.

03/20/2024

For Madnessday today (a combo of madness and Wednesday) I thought I would feature a track from my 4th album (a four disc set of home demos I released after a near death experience). This song (link in comments) was written about a lost loved one from right before I started performing again after a 26 year hiatus. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OH6H2NRRr4A&list=OLAK5uy_nc450v0k4RcO9vIyGpm7miI-d1U2cYf0Y&index=3

03/13/2024

Its Madnessday, a combo of Wednesday and madness, and that means a new showcase of one of my creative endeavors. Today its a brand new book. Dogged by massive stress and needing a safe haven to strengthen my resolve, I took refuge in a creative project consolidating some old cartoons of mine into a self-published anthology. I call them Toon-Ins and here is a little sample to get you hooked (link to the book order place in comments). Here is a link to the publishing site. WARNING: This book is deserves an "R" rating due to a wide variety of adult content suited only for a mature audience (both intellectually and emotionally). You're gonna probably have to enter a birthday to even view it. https://www.lulu.com/shop/flabby-hoffman/toon-ins/paperback/product-v8ky5y8.html?q=Flabby+Hoffman&page=1&pageSize=4

03/06/2024

To try and keep focus while building a path forward, I decided to feature a production of mine every wednesday, which I am renaming "Madnesday" a mash up of madness and Wednesday. For this inaugural Madnesday, I'm posting another track from my most recent album called The Last Breath https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auMF4zGZ9LE&list=OLAK5uy_nv6l4n-FxtY76oNSxJ7Ne3yhOPatove1I&index=15. Joining me on this song about finding something to hang onto in times of abandonment and despair are the titanic talents Joe Zulu (drums), Destiny Pivonka (sax) and Paul Ramirez (vox) to whom I am forever grateful for taking this song to some transcendent places

02/29/2024

Gone.

02/26/2024

So as I look out at my life as no longer being a store owner and try to rebuild after this heart wrenching loss and the horror show that is my bank account, I am comforted by lyrics I wrote back when I was 14 from what was one of my earliest songs called Love On Parade that read: "Maybe I should REGRET my past...maybe RETHINK who I am....No!!!! Though bitter, I DANCE away....with ALL my Love On Parade. Tortured, on the verge of total destruction and barely ambulatory...I know that I was true to myself and did what I could to fight the good fight...with all my Love On Parade. 14 year old me has got my back :)

02/25/2024

Just opened for my last day and figured that the final items I should post about should be my own. My many books and albums use a variety of elements and approaches to create a means of opening up even the most heavily brainwashed and deluded into thinking for themselves. Humor (both high minded and low brow to suit a variety of mindsets) Music high octane jams and a vision of inspiring a non-violent revolution based on empowering what’s good in people. Often eviscerated…never duplicated. My place is ending, but I rage on!

02/25/2024

The theft of an item from the mini-museum yesterday (the “shark” from the Shark Jumps Fonzie exhibit) was the first theft from the museum pieces ever (on the day before we close no less). And while the theft and abusive behavior has been intense here, I am not posting this to complain. I am posting this as a plea to you all to watch out for each other. The big picture in this world is designed by monsters. They create hate because the only thing that makes them happy is to see good people suffer. When any of us hurt other good people, we are helping the ruling elite accomplish their goals. It doesn’t take much to be kind hearted…and it can take even less to make a kind hearted person into a victim. We’re all in this together…we all need to own the the struggle together. The anguish, the unfairness, the abuse and the solutions are ours to share. Either we realize that and rise together, or we shall fall apart.

02/24/2024

Thought I would feature some of the uncoolest stuff we have at Extraordinarium today. Since this is our final couple of days, I’ve been posting all our coolest stuff…but some of my fave things here are goofy as heck. Like the Sriracha Lip Balm (downright balmy to make hot sauce lip balm right?), a scratch and sniff E.T. sticker (like who wants to sniff E.T.?), the Tweeze The Blackheads Out Of A Giant Ear Game, ancient old plastic Hulk rings, a mask of Pewdie Pie…I revel in goofiness and think we would have so much more of a fun-derful time if we all could dwell in our goofy place a little bit more

02/23/2024

So many goodies here on our final weekend like a Chucky lunch box, Betty White action figure, posters, vinyl albums and so much more…and since it’s our final weekend, why not beat me up on the price. Some things, especially the larger items, I’m ready to talk turkey. And being a legendary turkey, talking comes naturally to me.

02/23/2024

Our final weekend features some fun-tabulous items such as Snoop Dog pencil cup, Rat Fink car, the talking Big Lebowski doll…bunches of others. It’s the final countdown. Last call to collect ‘‘em all.