In Chicago: It's All The Buzz

All the buzz lately, in “The Windy City”, has surrounded this weekend’s NATO Summit. The people who live and work in Chicago have been talking, for quite some time, about its impact on the city and the trouble people foresee it causing. Mostly, the concern rises from closures and cancellings.

Today’s Chicago Tribune has an Entertaining Article, to me, that pokes some fun at the whole thing. [Note: I do not care for large portions under the subtitle Handling Hippies (hey I was one once ;-)…just putting that out there]. Hugely tongue in cheek, totally sassy, funny yet informative. Check out the “getting around town” part and the NATO PRIMER on the right side. Also, there’s a video about the arrests of a peaceful Catholic Workers’ protest at the Obama Headquarters that was also written about by a blog buddy of mine, Ed Pilolla.

This was right up my alley being not terribly political.  That’s not to say I don’t have strong opinions on most subjects. I just won’t discuss certain subject matter with people who don’t have the ability to “agree to disagree”. I’ve seen this kind of thing get hot especially between two of my close friends. Being a natural mediator (a Libra thing?), I tend to step in between and say “Come on you two. Enough.” Does the trick…usually. Does that mean I shouldn’t have an impromptu dinner party saaaaay ….Saturday, November 3^rd? Might not be wise but would probably be entertaining to sit back and watch with glass of wine in hand.

Here’s what is really interesting to me. The “Cross Town Classic” between archrivals, “The Good Guys” (Cubbies) and the Southside White Sox, was planned for this weekend. What a cluster F%#K this has the potential to be. The kicker is that it’s at Wrigley Field, which due to the road closures and traffic congestion, will be a nightmare to even get to the north side. I guess there’s always the “El” but if you’re coming from the suburbs you’re pretty much screwed (That’s when bikes came in handy when we lived in the city).

 My niece has her prom at the Field Museum (not closed) on Saturday but all the other museums are (at least the Science and Industry, Shed and Planetarium...Art Institute?) for all four days. Airspace will be closed and I’m guessing the lakefront for boating as well. Weird!

Thank goodness Congress Parkway is open and makes a huge difference navigating the city from the West. I’ve been stuck there several times, over the last few years, picking up my personal financial wizard in that brown building up ahead. Why do they make them work on a floor with no windows? Why don't they want those people to see the light of day anyway?

 As a matter of fact, many companies are encouraging their employees to work from home on Friday and Monday. My “at home broker” thinks the whole thing is an overreaction and will be heading down anyway. I think he’s just curious and wants to see the action. The worse thing (not bad) is that he won’t be able to physically get out of Union Station to walk to work due to protestors. I suppose he turns back around and takes the next train home.

Anyone else in Chicago think this is going to be as big a deal as it’s being made out to be?