April 15, 2011

digging ditches

chicago is tall, fast, windy and fun.  it is full of good food, taxi cabs, el trains and people who laugh at my accent.  there are rivers and buildings - tall, both old and new.  and i had a good time.  well, except for that sit inside while it's beautiful outside kinda thing.  and that whole cheerleader thing they do when we states get together.  trying to force ditchdiggers into superhero mode.  since when did it get to be a bad thing to do something well?  my daddy said, even if you're a ditchdigger you have to do a good job or the whole system collapses.  right?  on the boat tour wednesday, the guide told a good story about it.  it seems a while back, there was a company in charge of replacing pilings in the river system, they drove one set of pilings too deep and it pierced the tunnel system.  then, they didn't get around to fixing the hole (cost = $10,000) and let it go until the hole grew and burst into the tunnels, causing $1 billion in damage. 

see, proper ditch digging is important.  and admitting to your mistakes.

we were asked to come up with a theme song during the meeting....somehow the powers that be didn't like my suggestion of "jump in line"....but i'm rather fond of mr. belefonte. 

places visited:  the theater district, the navy pier, architecture boat tour, shaws crab house, monk's pub

items left in hotel:  pentax camera, shoes and 1 book (they are shipping the camera and shoes, i said they should keep the book)

books read on trip:  three (the gurnsey literary and potato peel pie society, staying at daisy's and the three weissmanns of westport)

today on my ipod:  grind me in the gears (edwin mccain), smoke gets in your eyes (the platters), dream a little dream of me (the mamas & the papas), stuck in a moment (u2), all in all (my friend steve), rebecca (pat mcgee band), broken (peter searcy), wanted it to be (sister hazel), all apologies (nirvana)

18 comments:

  1. Chicago is one of the places I am determined to visit eventually. I have family there that I've never met! It rather looks a bit like New York...but more windy! :-)

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  2. Char, love that you get to travel. I have always wanted to see Chicago too. I so love your pictures of Spring. glad they are sending you your camera and shoes. I seem to have been missing you lately. all is well though, just running backwards. lol. take care and have a great weekend.

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  3. oh no i'm glad they're shipping your camera and shoes back to you. wondering - did you like "the gurnsey literary and potato peel pie society"? i really enjoyed that book.

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  4. i loved that book! the other two i read were just so-so, but the gurnsey book was great. i didn't know about the war occupation so it taught me a lot too.

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  5. i am so glad you took the architeectural boat tour! i took that tour the one time i was in chicago, and i LOVED IT! i think it is especially fun if the weather is fine!

    and that "fixing the hole" story is one we should all pay attention to. it sure would have been nice if our government and wall street had thought of that before we got stuck with this housing/foreclosure mess!

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  6. I've never been to Chicago, but from pictures I've seen over the years, it seems like a beautiful city. I'd like to get out there some day.

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  7. Hey...pleased you got through your trip...they mock me and my accent wherever I go!

    Great photo...I've only been to the Airport.
    HUGS
    Char.x

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  8. I love Chicago! I think it may be my favorite American city, which is a difficult thing to decide upon. It's too bad you didn't get more time for sightseeing, but that's how some trips go, eh?

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  9. Oh yeah they would so laugh at me and my drawling southern accent!! They still laugh at HOlly in New Orleans....and some some of those cajun people you can't even understand them! haha. Hope you at least had a little fun while there.
    I always told Holly she had to finish what she started and do it the best she could.

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  10. So will you share more photos when you get your camera? I'd love to see them.

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  11. Glad you we able to do some fun stuff while you were there.

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  12. ummm even with a bit of cold weather, i think chicago looks good on you...xox

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  13. You have the coolest taste in music, but I've said that before.
    When I moved to Virginia years ago, from Pennsylvania, I tried not to pick up the accent. But within a few months, I heard myself say y'all and was shocked. I live in Maryland now and there are no southern accents here (sadly).
    I loved the book on Guernsey. Loved it!

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  14. Who would laugh at someone's accent? Oh wait... but only when my friend would from Lou'siana would say something like, "catch the a-li-gader wich yo HA-ns." :) Good times ...

    If it's any consolation, people say Idahoans have an accent ... I don't even want to know...

    And you liked The Guernsey book? I think I may be the only one who didn't really love it. I liked it--but I guess I just expected something more. Sigh.

    AND (longest comment ever) ... I hope this finds you safe and well. Sounds like the weather has been ugly in your neck of the woods!

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  15. "since when did it get to be a bad thing to do something well?" I have been asking myself that question ever since the last presidential election, when being the president of the Harvard Law Review was somehow portrayed as a BAD thing... I mean, WTF?!

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  16. I am sure they would be laughing at my RI accent too:) Chicago is one city that I have yet to visit...

    It looks like you have had some fun in between the cheerleading meetings...and you left your Pentax there!!???!!

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  17. I'm jealous of your Chicago trip--I've been wanting to go for the longest time and really have no excuse. I'm also astonished by your reading! Hoping that you are settling back home now and having a wonderful Monday Char!

    xo Mary Jo

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  18. I would love to visit Chicago. I am moving it up on my list of places to go!

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i feel as if each comment was between us as we sat and sipped something warm....i love to hear what you're thinking.