Stranger in a Sort-of-Strange-Land

Chicago was superb. I have never really gone to Chicago to visit the city. I always go to visit friends in the city. After college, it seemed like everyone lived there at one point. I even had about eight of my best friends from various parts of my life in one room in Chicago while I was food-poisoning in the "other" room. That was a memory...from 2003.

This time had the same intentions, but it had a different outcome. Possibly because I have fewer great friends in Chicago, or possibly because I simply didn't tell everyone I was coming, I had a lot more free time on this trip, and Jill and Ben took me Chicago-exploring more than usual.

Sunday, Kirsten, Jill and I had our usual Sex and the City type brunch where we talk about boys and gross stuff like that. Pretty funny that when we did that four years ago none of us was married, and now we're all married...and even one with a baby (but she wasn't there this time...since she JUST had a baby...). This was the high school reunion part of my trip.

Then Jill, Ben, and I took the train downtown, and we walked all around near Millennium Park and the downtown area. It was thoroughly enjoyable. There is a great deal of beautiful art and architecture down there. Loved it.

We had an enjoyable dinner with Ron and Morgan, and we headed back to pass out for the second night in a row.

This morning I got to meet Marla's beautiful baby, Dana (pictures to follow when I get back to Singapore). Marla looked so put together and wonderful. I was impressed. I'm not sure I would look that put together with a two week old baby. Then Jill and I got to have lunch with and walk with Laura and Elyssa. It was all very nice and great to see everyone.

A funny part of my day was when I stopped at Pizza Bob's in Ann Arbor for a chipati on the way home. There were three members of the Michigan volleyball team in there. Within minutes the entire team was in there, and the two guys who worked there were flirting up a storm. It was difficult for me to get served. Rather than fight for the attention of two 22 year old boys - with 15 tall, hot blonds, I went to my car and got some New Yorkers to read while I waited. The chipati was well worth the wait.

All in all my Chicago experience was wonderful and relaxing, and today I even got to see Daniel for a few minutes before he headed off to work. I'm pretty sure that the thing that makes me happiest in life is just being with friends and people I love, and I have gotten a lot of that lately - and I'm usually suffering from a serious deficit.