Thursday, June 7, 2012

Things I Love Thursday - Part 41


I live in a city people come from all over the world to visit. I don't live in the suburbs and SAY I live in the city.  I live in the city, god dammit.  I pay the taxes, I live here.  When you live in the suburbs and SAY you live in the city, you are a poser.  I may live in the suburbs one day (tear), but I won't ever claim to still live in the glorious and expensive as sin city that is Chicago. 

It's an absolutely perfect day here in Chicago.  Almost 80 degrees and sunny, with no humidity.  These are the days that people who live in Chicago their whole lives dream about during the cold winter months (we used to have winters here, I swear!) and the blistering hot 95 degree days of summer where the smell of urine and rotting food flow through the alleyways and the Chicago River has a certain stink that is not quite identifiable. 

But for today, and quite a lot lately actually, it's just lovely here in my fair City.



And it is a fair city to be sure.  I need a city lifestyle like I need air.  I need to be able to take the train and not have to drive.  I hate driving.  I get nervous driving. Other people make me nervous when I'm driving next to them.  I don't know what the hell they are going to do at any given time.  I need to be able to walk as far as I can to get where I need to go.  I need to be able to see where I'm going a block away and find locations so easily because they are based on a grid and I don't have to drive 10 extra miles and back track if I miss something.  I need to be able to walk down one street and find 18 different nationalities and crazy all within arms reach.  I am pretty vanilla, where I grew up was pretty vanilla and so to be surrounded by flavor and culture is something I crave.  It's exciting and there's always something to see and someone to meet and talk to.  There's usually crazy thrown right in there, and I NEED THAT.

I get to work in a building that is known all over the world.  As much as that is annoying sometimes, it is also, pretty damn cool.  I'm honored to work here.

I just call it the Tower.  It will always be the Sears Tower to Chicagoans.  None of this Willis Tower Nonsense.  YES,  I WORK IN THAT BUILDING!  HOW COOL IS THAT?

There is water.  There is industry.  There is nature.  There is a fantastical story around every corner.  We are on top of each other all the time.  We are in each others business.  WE are responsible for each other.  We are in the Midwest so we are safe from weather and natural disasters.  Nothing terrible weather wise happens in the city the way it does on the coasts. 

One of our friends gave us this poster as a gift.  It's in our kitchen now.  He said they reminded him of Chris and I.  I just love the "beautiful churches".

My parents were in town last weekend and we went to the Chicago History Museum.  Which was really freaking cool.  There is so much history here.  Some good, some bad.  Some damn crazy.  We have politicians that make headlines constantly.  We have a great public transportation service.  We also have the lake shore, the skyline and terrible sports teams.  We have epic AA here.  I am so blessed to live somewhere with so many great meetings at all times.  We have music and theatre and great food of every kind, if you are so inclined and courageous. 

I love my city.  Some day I have a feeling I won't be living in Chicago proper anymore and I will look back on all these years living here with bittersweet affection.  But I am not waiting for that day, I am damn lucky to be living here now, TODAY, and don't take it for granted for one second.  To live somewhere I love, and appreciate, and don't find myself saying, "I need to get out of here".....that's pretty damn great.  That's the Thing I Love this Thursday.

And you don't ever want to miss this gem either, buckle up!  It's the Lake Shore Drive song!


Oh and one more thing, please don't call my fair city Chi-town.  It hurts everybody's feelings.  I'm just here to help.  Just call it Chicago. 

18 comments:

  1. AND if you live in Illinois, please do not ask "what city?" when someone says "I'm going to the city today" There is but one....

    I love TILT...and you!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Well crap. I call it something I won't post here... 'cause I'm one of the peeps who can't wait to get the hell out.

    BUTTTTT..... I WILL say that I agree with everything you wrote. This city IS amazing... it has everything anyone would want. *if you want EVRYTHING*

    I'm proud to say I share this space with you, K. And more excited to bounce over you one day in passing... looking up from the sidewalk where I fell, gazing into your angelic face, the sun behind you, making your blonde hair look like a halo of love....

    OK AND WE'RE BACK! ;-)

    Seriously... it IS a gorgeous day, and now that my workout is complete, it's time to head to one of those fantabulous meetings... Yes it IS a great place to get and stay sober!!!

    Love love love you!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I have wanted to visit Chicago for a long time, and I will her there one day!! Thank you for writing this and making me want to go there even more :-)

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love Chicago! I can't wait to get back to visit. I've been there a handful of times & have loved it every time. One day I'll be back. And, even better, I'll have another attraction I am dying to see. I hope to be able to get over there & meet you one of these days, girl! I would love that! And...I really do love Chicago. You are a blessed girl!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I feel the same way about my city which is Toronto :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. I grew up and still live in a tiny little vanilla town. I have always been envious of people who have the balls to move to the "big city" and stay there and thrive. I get nervous around all that chaos...but I wish that I could embrace it like you do. You are awesome! And I hope to visit your rocking city one day. :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. I was born in Park Ridge and my brother lives in Palatine. Say it like we say the 'peeyants'. You have to say Palatine with a Chicago accent. My niece sure does. So whenever I get to go to Chicago to visit (and I don't like the term Chi-town either) I look forward to a trip to the city. And pizza. And hot dogs.
    I had a 'moment' when I was in my 20s by myself visiting the Art Institute. Walking inside that great place brought tears to my eyes. I literally started crying. And I spent hours in there that day.
    So yes, you live in a great city. And I love that poster that looks like you. That broad's got some great tits drawn there. Oh and a cute dress. You probably have a red dress just like that I'm guessing. Love your TILTs!! (Notice, I said TILTs, not Tits.) Just stop it. Okay. Tootles. xoxo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. DH and I both grew up in Palatine. Small world.

      Delete
    2. Awesome TILT! I have always wanted to visit Chicago because of ER and deep dish pizza, and I'm not embarrassed and I know ER wasn't filmed on Chicago. I grew up 22 miles outside of LA and I say it like that every time, I personally hate Los Angeles so I never faked it :) I live about 1 hour from Pheonix and even tho it's a big city, I enjoy visiting it because it still feels small desert town.

      Delete
  8. I love Chicago! My band used to play at Schuba's. I heard a little bit ago that a cab crashed into the club. I hope they are back in business now.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Good. you just made me love Chicago more- as a nonnative Chicagoan I mean Chicagoan-turned-suburbanite, it took a long time for me to warm up to living in the Midwest, but it really is a wonderful place, isn't it? You know what's weird? I think about you working in the Sears tower sometimes and I worry about you. That's all. It's tall and all. I worry. (And fuck that Willis Tower shit. BAH!)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Jessie blankenshipJune 8, 2012 at 10:14 AM

    I haven't ever been to Chicago but it sounds lovely! :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. We lived in Hoboken, NJ for 9 years before we moved to the suburbs. Still, when My Director was asked where we're from or where we live, she'd say "the city" or "New York City." I'd immediately correct her, sometimes obnoxiously. "No. We live in NEW JERSEY. We can SEE the city from our town. Our town is basically the 6th borough of NYC, but we don't live IN New York." What I'm trying to say is, I agree with you about not living in the city when you live in the suburbs. Love it. (And don't tell anyone but we've been to Chicago. That's a crime. Invite us please and take us to a Cubs game.)

    ReplyDelete
  12. I got to visit your BEAUTIFULLY character packed "CHICAGO" proper. the city. and I. fell. in. love.

    love
    love
    love

    I am also a freak with a camera and took some of my BEST evah shots there...

    ReplyDelete
  13. Love Chicago. We live a few hours east and try to get there a few times a year. My grandparents lived in Glen Ellyn for years so I spent a lot of my impressionable years going downtown for all kinds of things.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Love, Love, Love Chicago! My beautiful wife and I were lucky to spend two weeks there together, shortly before we were married in 2000. We were there to conduct a training class for our employer and we got to stay in the Hotel Allegro. We had so much fun eating, sightseeing in the downtown area, shopping, eating, riding the L, catching some Cubs games, did I mention eating? OMG Harry Caray's was the absolute best and Billy Goat Tavern was so cool. We did the Sears Tower and I did a quick Ferris Bueller lean over.. back when you still could or at least I was quick enough to do it without gettin busted. One day we'll go back. We may even take the kids this time, or not LOL

    ReplyDelete
  15. Katy, Lake Shore Drive is one of my favorite songs. I fell in love with it when we lived in a suburb of Chicago, sorry...but it is on my iPod and one of my top 10 favorite songs. So funny to see it on your fabulous blog.
    Hugs, Jane

    ReplyDelete