Sweet home Chicago

So I traveled to the windy city over the weekend to visit some fabulous friends and one who celebrated a big birthday. It was my second time there and I took lots of public transit: the "L" train from Midway to downtown, a few city buses, and even experienced my first ever Uber rides. 

I'm trying to think if I had any particular funny or special public transit stories. CTA truly seems to have their act together for the most part (or at least compared to what I'm familiar with).

The one thing I will complain about in Chicago and their more-than-a-century-old-train-system is the fact that they do not believe in escalators to get to the train platforms. Normally this wouldn't bother me, but does allow for some heart-racing and stress-inducing times when carting around a suitcase, since one has to leave straight from downtown to head to Midway on their last day in the city. (Well, it also didn't help the fact that that same person might have misread their boarding time and their flight actually left 45 minutes earlier than they originally thought -- stupid Central Time!) So, yeah, you definitely get your cardio in if you take the L at any point during your day in Chicago -- add in the suitcase full of dirty clothes, there's your strength training too!

If I think of any other good stories, I'll post some, but for now, I'll leave you with some photos straight from the iPhone.

Auditorium Theatre

Art Institute of Chicago

Ran along Lake Michigan

Views from downtown

Musician at Clark/Lake station, downtown

Chicago Theater

Took an architecture boat tour!

And, ate my Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream in an actual scoop shop in Southport!

These boots were NOT made for walking

I've become that girl. Or perhaps I should say woman. The woman my 21-year old self said I would never be. That young, throw-caution-and-severe-foot-pain-to-the-wind, kind of girl. 

Yes, I started the day thinking I could walk the "short" walk to the Metro from the commuter and Amtrak train platforms at Union Station in my very nice (and cute!) boots that went perfectly with my dressy outfit for the day. It's Fall. I'm a girl. We wear boots. And, I like to coordinate most of the time when I leave the house. 

But alas, the feet, they burned. Oh, did they burn after what normally doesn't seem like such a long walk...it felt like a mile in these boots! So my return journey to make my train was made in the ever-practical sneakers. The sneakers I saw the practical women nearly a decade ago commuting to and from DC on the train and swore I would NEVER do that. 

But, below is photo evidence that this happened, but unlikely to happen again for awhile...that's what cute black ballet flats are for. 

They kinda matched my outfit at least. 

Trains, trains, trains!

While on lunch break, I was surfing CNN and found this little gem -- all about trains! And how awesome they are and how everyone should ride them! 

Wheeeeeeeee!

I'll have more on some commuting Do's and Don't's later this week. I know, I still need to work on my Cast of Characters too, but it's been a busy fall so far...lots of travelin', celebratin', workin', and volunteerin'. Oh, and runnin' and trainin' for a race in November.

Ebola say what?

Ok, add me into the millions of Americans who are scared of Ebola now. 

The man on the train next to me sneezed this morning. My mind immediately went to EBOLA EBOLA EBOLA!

Now, I'm a rational human and know I won't catch Ebola from this guy or the next one walking down the street, but if there is a downside of taking public transit (oh, I know there are many, but the good outweighs the bad IMHO), communal sharing of germs might top my list. 

Anyway, onto the next thing. Whatever that may be. Spanish influenza, anyone?

Totes, FLOTUS.

Things I've learned this week...

This week has been eventful to say the least. Monday started the week with jury duty so no train for me. I originally was going to do public transit, but my husband convinced me to drive just because they "might" dismiss us early...they did, at 2pm, so I was glad I could drive home right away, rather than wait until 4pm for a train at Rockville. Either way, here are the lessons I've learned this week, despite being down 1 day for train riding:

-Jury duty sucks, but it is a fascinating process to watch as prosecutors and defense teams select their jurors for a criminal trial -- yup. I almost had to sit on that, but thankfully the defense didn't want me. WAHOO!

Love me some Tina Fey.

-I really wish Metro would have screens before you get to the turn-stalls with delays posted prominently. I paid for my ride on Tuesday morning, only to be greeted with a super crowded platform at Union Station. Waited 10 minutes for a train coming from Glenmont/Silver Spring due to a cracked rail at Dupont. Oy. I only had to go one stop, so could have walked in almost the same amount of time. 

-Apparently, it is socially acceptable, to some, to utilize the word "Tits" loudly and repeatedly on a train, when referring to a woman's upper body parts. Seriously?! Did I just hear that? I mean, "boobs" or "boobies" is somewhat better (yet childish), but if I'm correct, I think "breasts" might be the most scientifically accurate way of describing these entities. If I had been sitting closer to the culprit, I would have said something. Don't worry...more about him later in my Cast of Characters that I'm working on.

My face when I heard this terrible-ness. Blech.

Then I did this. 

And pretended I was not even on the same train as this guy.

-My fellow commuters watch crappy television. I am no saint -- I have my guilty pleasures (hello, Housewives haters!), but seriously, NCIS: New Orleans?! No judgement, but when a show is in its third spin-off (in a different city of course), and sounds like and IS very similar to another overly re-done show, that could be loosely compared to another long-running show, with varying degrees of spin-offs on a different network, I feel like you should watch some Homeland, Luther, House of Cards, or something relatively different. Anything else. I did hear talk of The Walking Dead, so that's a good sign I guess...

Just because.

-New iPhone 6's make me nervous as a commuter. They make me especially nervous when they are still naked and afraid, with no cover. Therefore, one must resort to whatever works to protect their newest family member: keep all the plastic on it and tote it around in a (clean) sock. Props goes to my BFFL (that's Best Friend For Life, y'all) for doing this herself with her new iPhone 5s this summer. 

Winner.

-Finally, people: walking is not that hard. I realize you are unable to put down that little device I mention above, so you're not paying attention to where you are going. I also get that you want to be different and march (ha!) to the beat of a different drummer. But just so we're all clear: just as in driving in probably 90% of the world's countries, WALK ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SIDEWALK. 

-One more tip for all the walkers out there: it is NOT advisable that you STOP immediately AND move to your left after getting to the top or bottom of an escalator when you've been standing on the right side the entire time on the escalator and ALL the people on the left side have been hauling tail to walk the machine. You are just asking for trouble. 

Ok, enough ranting from this girl. Happy weekend everyone. Time for a break from the grind. I'm sure there will be more interesting stories to tell soon!