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To be good at anything, you first have to be willing to be bad.No one who ever tried anything new, who ever walked out onto a dance floor or an athletic field, would dispute that. Proficiency is hard won, and you have to step on a lot of toes and muff a lot of easy catches to get there. Want to bake well? First you have to bake poorly.I know that. But knowing a truth, intellectually, and actually experiencing it are very different, just as writing "hitting your thumb with a hammer hurts" is not anywhere close to extending your digit and bringing down a claw hammer on it, hard. Opinion bug Opinion The truth of just how badly being really bad at something hurts dawned on me while standing at my workbench at the Chicago School of Woodworking, 5680 N. Northwest Highway, a few weeks ago, contemplating my first attempt to make a dovetail joint.How did I get here?Paternal love makes a person do many strange and expensive things. It caused me to quit a city I love and move to an anodyne suburb, enduring a quarter century of reader ridicule and lousy Thai food. It prompted me to spend thousands of dollars on tennis lessons, college tuition and, more recently, wedding cakes. I thought I was pretty much done with that period of life, when my younger son asked if I wanted to take a woodworking class together."Sure!" I said, despite smelling a trap. Nine weeks of 101 Introduction to Woodworking cost $495; I assumed I'd be tasked with making the arrangements and then could later dun him for his share or, more likely, not. My parents inspired me to always be open-handed and generous with my children, though ... choosing my words carefully ... not by direct example. Related STEINBERG: The uneasy man at the banquet Then the amazing part happened. He signed up for — and paid — for the class. I did the same.We began in mid-October — with seven others, heavy on the legal and computer professions. "I spend all my days looking at screens," said a cybersecurity expert, when we went around explaining why we were there.We identified types of wood and joints, and our teacher said something prophetic."You're learning to cut things by hand," she said. "A lot of times it isn't going to look great."Got that right. We began working on picture frames. We busied ourselves at our tasks. My son and I didn't talk much. He has been woodworking as a hobby for a few years — he made a lovely coffee table for his apartment — and were I of a conspiratorial bent, I'd suspect that after a lifetime of me forcing him to learn skills that I was already proficient at — reading and swimming and such — he was now returning the favor, as payback.But honestly, mirabile dictu, I think he just wanted my company. Or somebody's company, anyway.My picture frame was more foreshadowing. The four pieces were not exactly flush. "It looks like a frame you'd see on a side table in 'The Flintstones,'" is what I told my son. But not terrible either. We learned how to sharpen chisels, and then set to creating the aforementioned dovetail joint. If you are unfamiliar, a dovetail joint is a way two pieces of wood can be joined together at a right angle. Lace your fingers together in front of you. Like that, only wood.I carefully measured and penciled and got all ready. Then slowly began chiseling and cutting. Then I was done. The result ... the result ... a jagged mouth of uneven monster teeth.Teachers can smell fear, and just as I was regarding my unhandiwork with boggled horror, ours drifted over, her face a mask of suppressed pity. The "ohhh, gee, what have you managed to do?" was unvoiced. Did I mention I cracked the wood down the middle? I did."How many people quit before the end of the class?" I asked.Not that I'm going anywhere. Just the opposite. I vowed I would retreat to my workshop, sharpen my chisels, and start making dovetail joints until I got one right. When confronted with your own badness, you can deny, flee, or own the sin, work harder, get better.Besides, my son has already asked if we should sign up for the second class, "Methods of Mortise and Tenon Joinery.""Sure!" I heard myself saying.You have to keep moving forward, and you might as well go through life head up, shoulders back, hands at your tools, trying your best at something new. Or as Winston Churchill said: "If you find yourself going through hell, keep going." Related READ: More columns by Neil Steinberg in the Sun-Times

It’s fitting that the highly anticipated film adaptation of the iconic musical “Wicked” arrives in theaters a week before Thanksgiving. After all, both “Wicked” and your typical Thanksgiving dinner involve elaborate and ornate production design, a festive gathering of colorful characters from near and far, celebrations often marred by conflict, moments that remind us of the best and the worst of humanity, a running time that goes on and on — and when all is said done and we’re still digesting everything we’ve experienced, we’re already committed to gathering again a year from now to pick up where we’ve left off.Whew!As you might well know, “Wicked” is based on the blockbuster musical from Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman that was a loose adaptation of the 1995 Gregory Maguire novel “The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West,” which in turn was inspired by L. Frank Baum’s 1900 novel “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” as well as the legendary film adaptation from 1939. With John M. Chu (“Crazy Rich Asians,” “In the Heights”) providing marvelously grand-scale direction, not to mention the award-level production design, costumes and makeup, and the winning performances from a greatly talented cast led by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, “Wicked” is a wondrous old-school movie musical suitable for all but the very youngest of viewers. (Those monkeys have always been terrifying.) 'Wicked' Universal presents a film directed by Jon M. Chu, written by Winnie Holzman based on her musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, from the novel by Gregory Maguire. Running time: 161 minutes. Rated PG (for some scary action, thematic material and brief suggestive material). Opens Wednesday at local theaters. Still, there are some moments that drag, some scenes that seem superfluous. With a running time of 161 minutes, “Wicked” tells only the first half of the story — and if “Wicked: Part Two” (scheduled for release on Nov. 21, 2025) matches that length, we’re looking at the prospect of a 5-hour, 22-minute saga. That’s an awful lot of screen time for a story that times plays like “Carrie” meets “She’s All That.”The vibrant and spectacle-filled tone of the story is established immediately in the darkly funny “No One Mourns the Wicked,” with the people of Munchkinland celebrating after Glinda, the Good Witch of the North (Ariana Grande), bubble-drops in to deliver the news that the Wicked Witch of the West has been deceased. When a citizen asks if it’s true that Glinda knew the WWOTW, that’s our cue to flash back to the main story. After a sequence chronicling the birth and childhood of a green-skinned girl with unusual but as yet unharnessed powers named Elphaba Thropp (played by Karis Musongole as a child), we arrive at the main story, set during the time period when Galinda (who will later change her name to Glinda) and Elphaba (now played by Cynthia Erivo) have a kind of meet-not-so-cute as incoming students at Shiz University.The all-knowing and supernaturally gifted Headmistress Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) decrees that the privileged, popular, narcissistic and beautiful Glinda share her fabulous suite with the green-skinned and lonely and socially awkward Elphaba, which leads to the bouncy and hilarious Erivo/Grande duet of “What Is This Feeling,” which on the surface sounds like a fun-friendship number, but has lyrics along the lines of, What is this feeling, fervid as a flame, does it have a name, yes! Loathing, unadulterated loathing ...Casting is spot on, as we’re introduced to a variety of key supporting characters. Dr. Dillamond, a history professor, is a goat with the voice of Peter Dinklage. Universal Pictures The great Peter Dinklage brings a warmth and humanity to his voice work as the absurd but sympathetic character of Dr. Dillamond, a history professor at Shiz University who happens to be a goat, and these are precarious times for talking animals in Oz. Bowen Yang and Bronwyn James provide comic relief as Galinda’s snarky friends. Marissa Bode does resonant work as Elphaba’s paraplegic younger sister Nessarose, while Ethan Slater is well-suited to the role of a Munchkin named Boq Woodsman who has quite the destiny awaiting him. Jonathan Bailey looks and sounds like a Disney prince come to life as the dashing Fiyero Tigelaar, who is immediately drawn to Galinda but finds himself deeply intrigued by Elphaba.Later in the story, when the action moves to Oz, here comes Jeff Goldblum as the Wonderful Wizard, and while it’s impossible to ignore the “Jeff Goldblum-ness” of Jeff Goldblum, he glides into the role and makes it his own. Jeff Goldblum plays The Wizard of Oz with Michelle Yeoh as Madam Morrible in “Wicked.”Universal Pictures The musical catalog has the classic Broadway formula of alternating epic production numbers with character-showcase pieces and moving ballads. Highlights include Grande’s rendition of “Popular,” the introduction-to-Oz number “One Short Day,” Erivo’s soul-stirring take on “I’m Not That Girl” — and her thunderous and sky-rattling performance of “Defying Gravity,” which makes for the most powerful sequence in the entire first half of this story.All the while, “Wicked” looks great, thanks to the combination of VFX and world-building practical sets. (As Chu noted in a post on X, some 9 million tulips were planted for the opening number, and the production team built a 16-ton moving train, as well as expansive sets for Munchkinland, Shiz University and Emerald City. It feels simultaneously fantastical and yet real.)Cynthia Erivo is a generational talent who has already had a substantial film career (“Widows,” “Bad Times at the El Royale,” “Harriet”), and she delivers a performance worthy of an Oscar nomination. Ariana Grande has a soaring voice and an instantly endearing personality, but she’s a pop star who is still working on her acting style, which at times harkens back to her Nickelodeon roots. It’s sweet and lovely work, but at times lacking in the type of subtlety required for film acting, even in a musical role with as much comedy as drama. Still, Erivo and Grande have chemistry in abundance and make for a memorable duo.For now, we’re feeling a bit stuffed from so much “Wicked” in one sitting, but come next year, we’ll be excited to dig in for the second half.

The unprecedented 2024 rookie quarterback class is in for a long battle. It’ll be at least three seasons before it’s clear how they stack up, but at this stage, the Commanders’ Jayden Daniels is on top, followed by the Broncos’ Bo Nix. Those two are vying for Offensive Rookie of the Year and a playoff berth.Here’s where the rookies stand:No. 1 overall pick: Bears QB Caleb WilliamsWilliams completed 23 of 31 passes for 231 yards and a 95.0 passer rating, plus 70 yards rushing against the Packers and drove the Bears for the would-be game-winning field goal, which got blocked. Still, he’s last among rookies in passer rating (82.3), completion percentage (61.8) and touchdown percentage (2.8). He also has been sacked nearly twice as many times as the others.No. 2 overall pick: Commanders QB Jayden DanielsFor the second consecutive game, Daniels played poorly and lost. He completed 22 of 32 passes for 191 yards with a touchdown and an interception for an 81.6 passer rating while falling to the Eagles. His 99.6 passer rating for the season, however, ranks 10th in the NFL.No. 3 overall pick: Patriots QB Drake MayeFresh off beating the Bears, Maye played very well in a 28-22 loss to the Rams: 30-for-40 passing, 282 yards, two touchdowns, one interception and a 100.2 passer rating.No. 12 overall pick: Broncos QB Bo NixNix thumped the Falcons 38-6 with four touchdown passes. It was a masterpiece. He completed 84.8% of his passes, threw for 307 yards and posted a 145.0 passer rating. Latest on the Bears Bears New Bears play-caller finds QB Caleb Williams some answers Thomas Brown’s first game as play-caller produced only 19 points —only seven teams scored fewer Sunday — but nonetheless qualified as a step forward for the No. 1 overall pick, who was steered back on track. By Patrick Finley [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]   Bears Snafus keep piling up on Bears coach Matt Eberflus, pushing him toward exit A more proven coach could shrug and move on after losing to the Packers on a blocked field goal. But with a 14-30 record and many collapses on his ledger, Eberflus has no margin. By Jason Lieser [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]   Bears Bears' Caleb Williams-Rome Odunze connection takes big step The rookies combined for back-to-back pass plays that got the Bears out of a hole in the final two minutes — 16 yards on third-and-19 and 21 yards on fourth-and-three. “When it comes to two-minute … it’s find your one-on-ones and find your guys,” Williams said. By Mark Potash [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]  

Public transit commuters will be able to add a little bit of Christmas cheer to their commute as CTA's holiday train and bus make their returns later this month. The special train will be illuminated with bright and colorful lights for the 33rd year as Santa Claus greets riders — young and old — from a flatbed. “We’re proud to continue this cherished holiday tradition that brings joy to riders of all ages,” CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. said in a press release. "The Allstate CTA Holiday Train and Bus are more than festive decorations — they are a unique Chicago holiday tradition that celebrates the goodwill of this city, and the hard work of CTA employees who are committed to making everyone’s holidays a little brighter.”The colorful six-car train will run on all eight lines, starting on the Green and Orange Lines Nov. 29 and concluding on the Yellow Line on Dec. 23. Green LineFriday, Nov. 29 Saturday, Nov. 30 Tuesday, Dec. 3Orange LineFriday, Nov. 29Saturday, Nov. 30 Tuesday, Dec. 3 to Saturday, Dec. 7 Brown LineWednesday, Dec. 4 Thursday, Dec. 5Friday, Dec. 6 Saturday, Dec. 7 Pink LineTuesday, Dec. 10 Wednesday, Dec. 11Saturday, Dec. 14Blue LineThursday, Dec. 12Friday, Dec. 13Saturday, Dec. 14Red LineTuesday, Dec. 17 Thursday, Dec. 19 Saturday, Dec. 21 Purple LineWednesday, Dec. 18Friday, Dec. 20 Saturday, Dec. 21Yellow LineMonday, Dec. 23Beyond spreading merriment, the trains will continue the tradition of delivering food baskets to local charitable organizations, the CTA said in a press release. Beginning Nov. 26, the Allstate CTA holiday bus will broadcast festive music and showcase XX artwork and decorations along 17 bus routes. Each year, CTA partners with local Chicago students from a selected school to develop artwork for the interior of the bus. This year, the agency partnered with Catalyst Maria Elementary School, 6727 S California Ave., to display artwork created by students in kindergarten through 8th grade, CTA said.The full bus schedule can be found on CTA's website. Metra’s seasonal trains will return beginning Nov. 30 across six lines. Related Making the holiday trains: How CTA decks the L’s at Santa’s Skokie workshop

A man who was arrested at Union Station with toys and zip ties over the weekend allegedly planned to travel to Florida to kidnap a child, authorities say.Devontay Shields, 35, of Danville, was charged Sunday in federal court with one count of attempt kidnapping.Law enforcement officials allegedly recovered a "Lankybox" toy, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Action figure and self-cutting zip ties when they searched a bag Shields was carrying, according to an affidavit attached to a search warrant application for Shields' phone filed Monday. Related I rode Amtrak in coach for 46 hours from Chicago to Miami. Here’s why it’s worth it Greyhound says it’s close to lease extension at West Loop station The investigation into Shields began Nov. 11, when a law enforcement source notified special agents that Shields wanted to meet with a cooperating defendant to get money to travel to Florida to kidnap a child for ransom, according to the document.Shields allegedly sent screenshots of the private school in Fort Lauderdale that he wanted to target, the document states.On Nov. 12, the law enforcement source drove Shields to the Chicago area from Danville. Shields then met with the law enforcement source and the cooperating defendant, who were wearing audio recording equipment.During the conversation, Shields allegedly said he planned to "get me a little boy" and he needed $1,000 to carry out his plan. He would be requesting a ransom of $100,000.Over the next few days Shields bought children's toys, zip ties, a BB gun and two, one-way Amtrak tickets destined for Miami, the document states. He also rented a car and found a hotel room for his visit.Shields was arrested while trying to board the train about 6:20 p.m. Saturday. He agreed to speak with investigators and claimed he was visiting Florida because "he had never been there before and wanted to see how it was," according to the document.He admitted that he bought all the items he was found with, but he denied knowing anything about a plan to kidnap a child in Florida, the document states.