Bicycles
Chicago, Illinois
Bridge View
Chicago, Illinois
Chicago Fire
Sunrise
Chicago, Illinois
Just returned from Chicago, where I attempted to wear business attire. I attended a conference, which is amusing all in itself, just because I felt way, way out of my element, but I tried to blend in nonetheless. I did have to wear my Vans though, because my right foot is bothering me. Poor me, ha.
I think I pulled it off.
I haven't been to Chicago since the memorable, fifth grade class trip we took. Why did we take this trip? I have no idea. There we were -- a bunch of Catholic school kids on the loose in Chicago. When I say "on the loose," that's because at some point, I sneaked off with some kids and got "lost;" that is, lost on purpose, which got us in a whole hell of a lot of trouble. Also on that fifth grade trip, I was desperately trying to get the attention of the second most popular boy, Christopher, who preferred the most popular girl, who wasn't me. I bet you're sorry now, Christopher. I've got skills. I'd like to say I have a six pack, but today it's like a four pack with a li'l belly attached. Hey, my nose is pretty good. I've always liked my nose. And my eyes seem to be holding up. The rest is sort of iffy.
Anyway, back to the present. So when I returned home, I found out the Ellen Show premiere is in Chicago this coming Tuesday...aw, I should have stuck around and tried to bust in and score a ticket! Oh well. Next time? Man.
Did you know Waking the Dead is my favorite movie? This has nothing to do with this post. I just thought of it for no reason at all. I want a love like that. But I want it to work out. You know, be together.
So I loved Chicago -- the theaters, the wide sidewalks, the water, everything about it really. I spent a lot of time on super early morning walks. I tried to beat the business crowd. I also spent a lot of time at 7-11. Now, this wasn't just any old 7-11. They had every single thing I needed, at all times. It was amazing.
Well, my favorite thing about this city was Eugene; he works at the hotel desk, but he's also a science fiction writer, and he has a book out. I'm gonna plug it for him as soon as I read it. Eugene and I liked to cut it up. From the get go, when I went to check in, and there were some problems, he was incredibly gracious. I said, "I know I look sketchy." I felt like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman when she was getting looks and major shit when she was trying to check into the posh hotel, and later, when she was attempting to buy nice clothes. That was me. Eugene treated me like a queen, regardless, just like the hotel manager in that movie, played beautifully by Hector Elizondo, I might add.
My second favorite thing about this city: in the hotel hallway, I swear I made super soulful, incredibly deep, meaningful, momentous eye contact with one of the conference speakers, and I kept running into him, and I achingly wanted to talk to him, but alas, fate never delivered. It reminded me of the times when I was at a rock show, and I thought the singer was looking at me with deep fascination, when in reality, he probably just had to take a piss. Anyway, maybe the speaker and I shall meet again in the Hotel Cloud Room 3&4 in another lifetime.
Back to the grind. Working on Book Three, doing other writing, back on sched.
Hope you like the photos. Hope I made you laugh,
C.A. MacConnell
