Hey, Hey! Holy Mackerel!!" (Stream of Consciousness Chicago Style)

I live in this city. Chicago, that is. Home to the often frustrated sports fan. It is pure insanity right now. Not sure we have seen the likes of this since…certainly not when the Bears went to the Super Bowl even.  Or The Rolling Stones came to Soldier Field.

This stuff is right here! At least for the next three games. The Ferris wheel has the Cubs logo in its center. The majority of the people seen walking around have on some sort of Cubs gear. There is a vibrancy I have yet to see since maybe the Presidential rally for Obama or maybe ever. Lollapalooza doesn’t hold a candle to this enthusiasm. Out-of-town fans fill every street corner. Traffic is almost at a standstill. 

I live about three blocks from the iconic and original Billy Goat Tavern on Lower Michigan, which is part of the old, drippy, underbelly of Chicago that always looks like nighttime, but the burgers are good. The place was famous before the Blues Brothers stopped in. Fans were taking pictures just now out front. 

I ran an errand past Harry Caray’s old Italian steak joint. Again, people taking pictures of the restaurant’s sign and a Clydesdale horse hanging out on the sidewalk. What does a Clydesdale and the Cubs have in common? Beats me!

I have been a life-long Cubs fan. Those of you who know how old I am can attest to it being a long time. 

When I was growing up, our parents, who did not have a lot of discretionary income, took me and my little brother to one game a season. We seemed to have the same seats along the third base line just behind the Cub’s dugout. We would get there early (more bang for our buck, I’m guessing) to watch batting practice, warmups and, with any luck, inch our way up to the railing to get some autographs on our score sheets we faithfully kept all game (Dad was a stickler for accuracy!). We binged on hot dogs, ice cream and peanuts. And so it went every year.

I lucked out in college by living in the same house as the daughter of one of the team’s VPs. We would travel up from Normal, Illinois at the beginning of April to watch Opening Day at Wrigley under usually freezing and wet conditions. Beer solved that problem.

Last year, we went to five or six games. This year, we had tickets for twelve. It has been a good year for all of us who have been waiting.

It’s a crazy day that will only get crazier. Tomorrow will be worse, better, worse. Every errand has taken me longer, but every person I have encountered is in a festive mood. How awesome is that? 

And that’s just down here. Up north about 2.5 miles, the neighborhood called Wrigleyville will be an entirely different story. It will be truly insane.

Our guys just need to bring their bats tonight.

Holy Cow!

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?

Would I Do It or NOT? Reverse Bucket List

I suppose some things are always up for negotiation.

There aren’t many things I wouldn’t give a whirl but there are certainly a few things I would never do, want to do or be willing to do. If you have done the things on my Reverse Bucket List, more power to you and please don’t be offended if I don’t partake. For me, some things are just not gonna happen. Like…

1. I’m never going to Japan, not one ounce of interest even though I’ve been known to stalk the head chef at The Sushi House. You tried to lose me by moving to Nabuki but I found you!

2. I would never, never appear on “Fear Factor” and only for one reason. I’m not going to eat or drink any of that disgusting crap! Push me out of a helicopter but I refuse to drink donkey piss (they got in trouble for that!)

3. A tarantula will never come anywhere near me again. We came upon one on a path in Big Sur and told our friend to put her foot next to it for size reference. We later found out they jump. Yuck!

That's my bad video job as we were caught by surprise. 

4. I will never watch Jersey Shore or read anything related to the subject and I don’t think that requires an explanation! 

5. I'll never run a marathon. I’m not going to poop my pants on the streets of Chicago just to finish or maybe it’s because my body wouldn’t cooperate. Not sure.

6. I refuse, therefore won't, give up wine or coffee but if I had to break up with one, it would be coffee.

You know who said this? Benjamin Franklin and he knows his shit! True fact!

7. I will never be a White Socks fan. When you live in Chicago, there are some decision you have to make early on and then there’s no such thing as switching even though they suck EVERY SINGLE year.

 Sorry, slightly inappropriate.

8. I think some tattoos are really pretty but…

9. I don’t want to jinx myself because I have never even been arrested which kind of leads into… I never want to spend the night in jail. I’ve had a run in or two before or should I say a “run from” so I’ll knock on wood here.

Good book, BTW

10. I won't be taking it all off at a nudist beach. My only opportunity was when I went to Hedonism in Jamaica at the age of 25. If I didn’t do it then it is very unlikely to happen...EVER. That's not to say I wouldn’t go to a very private beach and skinny dip but not more than one person at a time is going to see me doing this!

There you have it...a few things I never want to do courtesy of Mama Kat's prompt:

3.) Create a reverse bucket list that names the top ten things you never want to do.
(Inspired by The Hairpin)