19 June 2009

the el et al

when i arrived thursday eve (feeling all kinds out of sorts), i took the blue line from the airport. i believe it was my first time on chicago's trains, and my first impression was a good one. even when my inner space cadet took charge and i realized i was missing my stop just as the train doors were closing. 'twas easy enough to correct, but when i stepped off the train and onto the platform, ick.

i'm sorry, chicago. i do love and appreciate your many charms. i love your art institute, and pretty much all of your big museums. and with it, the crisp bite in your fall days, the smells, sights and sounds on michigan avenue, the viewing deck from the john hancock building, and the architecture tour on your river.

and i will never forget your stormy show of fury last night and all day today, save those few minutes the zip and i chose to be outside. i am savoring the smell of rain, and the way my body aches when its damp. and the thunder and lightening, and the sound of the rain on the roof, it all makes me go gooey in my knees.

so you see, chicago, i do have my loves for you. but dude. your el is a shithole. the train stops resemble a construction site (and i hope i'm never alone in one at night), and the train rides atop some montrosity of rusted steel hanging across your skyline. it's all just icky (not entirely unlike the weight of your air on summer days).

great town, lotsa fun, home to one of the great loves of my life (and she's getting married next summer!), and i can't remember anything shy of good times in this town, but chicago is nowhere i'd want to live.

~k

16 June 2009

a new life unfolding

i am leaving dc in two days. and i don't want to. it really does feel like i belong here, like it's really time to move along...

~k