Chicag'

Yep, so Sumeep and myself managed to catch a plane over to Illinois to check out what was going down in Chicago.  In February.  So, not much.

Despite the cold that punished us as we walked the streets, I had quite a nice time.  The city looked pretty sketchy from our subway vantage point coming in from O'Hare, but once we walked downtown from our hostel in Greektown (hostel name: The Parthenon) things brightened up.  The buildings are kinda neat, and so is the El, as long as it doesn't kill you with sparks as you pass underneath. I doubt it's possible. ... but, I'll still cringe when it goes overhead.

Basically, our strategy was to see the city in between Starbucks/Dunkin' Donuts stops.  In there, we walked along the shorefront, visited Millenium Park and the bean (best idea EVER making that thing, except for maybe the price of it), did up the Art Institute (yes, I did see Nighthawks, but almost got run over by a rampaging horde of children with their chairs in the process) and the Cultural Center (although I couldn't get Sarabia/Xul Solar off the brain in there), visited the lovely (and wonderfully free) Garfield Conservatory, and went up the Sears Tower, where I was pleasantly greeted by two Obama cut-outs, which I of course took pictures with.  (See Figure A, above.) 

In other excitement, I discovered Sumeep's love of water fountains and gift shops, how utterly ghetto Chicago's subway system is, and REdiscovered the deliciousness of bread and cheese.  I whipped out that particular lunch at the Auto Show amidst the fudge, deep dish pizza and hot dog stands and was promptly stared at.  Well maybe I didn't get stared at, but my food most certainly did. Ah, how good does it feel to stand out.  Cheeeeeeese...

My CS contacts ultimately all flaked out on me, but 'tis the spirit of the surfers, so we just rolled with it and made new ones via skating Thursday night at Millennium Park. Sumeep was a great sport and let me fly around the rink for a couple hours before we feasted on pizza, beer and, in my case, an awesome cookie and ice cream dessert.

We emerged without making any real souvenir purchases outside postcards although I did eye the "Yes We Can" shirts/mugs with the intention of getting Jeannine an inspirational present. :)  

Not real happy with the amount of work (none) gotten done this week, but having seen Joce and Dam, vegging out with banana bread, and going to Chicago, all in all it wasn't too bad. 

Cannot wait till next weekend, when I promise, I'll get ahead on all my schoolwork.... and go to Jonathan's fuck-you-comps party, and have possibly a first date?!?

Bring it on, week. 

question?

Something I wanted to throw out there... what do you do if you witness an act of racism? Do you say something to the person making the comment, or the person being attacked?  The thing is that in both instances that I've seen someone getting yelled at, I'm pretty sure the one doing the yelling was kinda crazy. So I'm thinking it wouldn't do any good talking to them. 

The first instance was in New York on the subway, where some older black guy starting yelling at this white girl for no apparent reason; seems he thought she was looking at him funny.  But like I said, he was crazy, and other passengers told her that after he got off.  The second time was when I got off the bus the other day at the subway station, and as is the case many mornings, there's a veritable crowd of people waiting to get on the bus. I bet if I jumped out and got the right angle, I could crowdsurf my way to the doors. But anyway.  I was just heading into the station when I heard a man at the other end of the bus yell "Get out of my way, ya stupid nigger!"  ..... So, I'm innocent and all, but that's honestly the first time I've ever heard someone get called the n-word.  As for the reaction, everyone turned their heads, but what're you gonna do?  I just wonder if I was there, if I'd have the nerve to say something - not to the crazy guy, but to whoever was on the receiving end.  I wonder if people would assume (I probably would) that it's understood that the guy was crazy, we don't agree with his exclamation, and he doesn't even merit being rebuked.  But I can't imagine how it would feel to be randomly yelled at just because you're black, even if the guy was crazy. I'm sure some solidarity would be appreciated.  If it weren't wrong, I wish somebody had punched that crazy guy in the face.  Or at least tripped him a little.  Anyway, I hope someone said something to whoever had to hear that spit at them.

I know this post is long for being about crazy people, my apologies.  But I am always curious to know what it is the people who talk to themselves talk about; I always found it interesting that even if someone's brain seems not to work correctly, they're still able to speak/swear fluently. Oh, language.  And now racism? Where does that come from? If my brain broke down in whatever way that guy's did, would I start yelling racial slurs and swearing like crazy? 

... Please never let me end up on the street.    

the goodness

Just a small note for all those seeking to obtain TTC services for free (and if you're not drunk and broke, which seems to get you on as well, although if you're homeless I don't know if that still applies), just wait for the northbound streetcar at Spadina and Harbord at about 7pm on a Tuesday night.  When the doors open, you'll see a mass of bodies surrounding the driver, spilling down onto the stairs. Canadians are not familiar with the concept of making room where there is none, so you'll probably be alone in crushing yourself between some guy on the stairs and the doors that will in all probability close on you, but are so flimsy it doesn't even hurt. And of course there's no way you can even get close enough to the driver to give him your fare, so you can get a free ride on the subway!

.....My metropass is pointless.....  

No, but really... they need to start sending more streetcars up at that time. Cee-razy.

A second point for tonight is my discovery that Tim Hortons coffee actually sucks. I'd only ever sipped on one Tim's coffee before today, and that time I thought something was wrong with the coffee, as it seemed to have acquired the taste of the paper cup surrounding it.  However, today I had some that was brewed at the office and became aware that that's just how Tim's coffee tastes. Wow. What a disappointment.  Can I still call myself Canadian if I hate Tim's coffee? 

... i still like the doughnuts... don't hurt me...