With a brand new year ahead of us, it seems only fitting that I start off on this brand new venture of blogging. Speaking of new things, the most novel *big* thing in my life to date is my marriage to Hubs just 7 (almost 8!) short months ago. Not that I'm biased, but our wedding was probably the best wedding ever. Just sayin'.
Anyway, with our newly tied knot, we started our life together in Chicago, the "windy city". I had visited Chicago several times, but never in my life did I envision myself actually living there. I'm a kind of a city girl, but not a "big city" girl, more like a "just-outside-of-Detroit-but-with-a-small-section-of-my-heart-in-the-middle-of-nowhere" city girl and Hubs is a self-proclaimed good ol' country boy from Florida...so life in a place the size of Chicago is an adjustment for both of us (although Hubs has about 2 years on me of living here). Within my first couple months of living in our happy lil' corner of the north Loop, I quickly learned some very valuable things about Windy City living. A small handful of those have stood in the forefront as being the most important I have learned thus far. I shall affectionately call those "The Chicago Five". And so, in no particular order, I present them:
1. Do not wear flip flops in the rain.
The very day after we made the trip back from Michigan in the moving truck and began to unload at our apartment, the rain fell in torrential sheets. It was June and warm(ish), and being that wet socks and tennis shoes (or any closed toed shoe for that matter) are something I loathe, flip flops seemed the only logical choice. Alas, this is incorrect. Walking in the pouring rain down Chicago sidewalks, through puddles, and across streets laden with who-knows-what manner of drips, drops, and piles proved less-than-desirable. As my rubber soles suctioned-cupped themselves to the sidewalks, sending my bare feet ahead of them onto the grungy sidewalks, I vowed to dig my favorite pair of rain boots out of the trunk of my packed car. Lesson learned.
2. To get your "'L' Legs", ride a packed train car at rush hour on the way to Wrigley Field
Watching Chicagoans effortlessly stand on an 'L' (the elevated train that whisks people around Chicago) while texting, eating, or drinking coffee amazes me. They never hold on and still manage to barely sway as the train whips and glides above (and sometimes underneath) the city. I was bound and determined to become one of those people. I began to perfect the art form on a Red Line ride from our apartment to a Cubs baseball game one summer evening. On such a ride, you are so packed in as tight as a can of sardines, that frankly, you aren't going anywhere anyway. I was able to practice my firm-footed stance while slightly and occasionally bouncing off Hubs behind me, the curly brown hair of the nurse in front of me, the sweaty arm of the rotund man to the left of me, and the back of the fellow Cubs' game attender to the right of me. In no time at all, I was sure that had each of those people not been there, I would still be standing tall. And able to sip a cup of hot coffee. I'm still working on it, but that particular ride sure did help my efforts.
3. To effectively parallel park, you will have to--more often than not-- "Chicago Bump"
Anyway, with our newly tied knot, we started our life together in Chicago, the "windy city". I had visited Chicago several times, but never in my life did I envision myself actually living there. I'm a kind of a city girl, but not a "big city" girl, more like a "just-outside-of-Detroit-but-with-a-small-section-of-my-heart-in-the-middle-of-nowhere" city girl and Hubs is a self-proclaimed good ol' country boy from Florida...so life in a place the size of Chicago is an adjustment for both of us (although Hubs has about 2 years on me of living here). Within my first couple months of living in our happy lil' corner of the north Loop, I quickly learned some very valuable things about Windy City living. A small handful of those have stood in the forefront as being the most important I have learned thus far. I shall affectionately call those "The Chicago Five". And so, in no particular order, I present them:
1. Do not wear flip flops in the rain.
The very day after we made the trip back from Michigan in the moving truck and began to unload at our apartment, the rain fell in torrential sheets. It was June and warm(ish), and being that wet socks and tennis shoes (or any closed toed shoe for that matter) are something I loathe, flip flops seemed the only logical choice. Alas, this is incorrect. Walking in the pouring rain down Chicago sidewalks, through puddles, and across streets laden with who-knows-what manner of drips, drops, and piles proved less-than-desirable. As my rubber soles suctioned-cupped themselves to the sidewalks, sending my bare feet ahead of them onto the grungy sidewalks, I vowed to dig my favorite pair of rain boots out of the trunk of my packed car. Lesson learned.
2. To get your "'L' Legs", ride a packed train car at rush hour on the way to Wrigley Field
Watching Chicagoans effortlessly stand on an 'L' (the elevated train that whisks people around Chicago) while texting, eating, or drinking coffee amazes me. They never hold on and still manage to barely sway as the train whips and glides above (and sometimes underneath) the city. I was bound and determined to become one of those people. I began to perfect the art form on a Red Line ride from our apartment to a Cubs baseball game one summer evening. On such a ride, you are so packed in as tight as a can of sardines, that frankly, you aren't going anywhere anyway. I was able to practice my firm-footed stance while slightly and occasionally bouncing off Hubs behind me, the curly brown hair of the nurse in front of me, the sweaty arm of the rotund man to the left of me, and the back of the fellow Cubs' game attender to the right of me. In no time at all, I was sure that had each of those people not been there, I would still be standing tall. And able to sip a cup of hot coffee. I'm still working on it, but that particular ride sure did help my efforts.
3. To effectively parallel park, you will have to--more often than not-- "Chicago Bump"
I hate parallel parking. As a matter of fact, when I took my driving test at 16, I failed the parallel parking part, but my instructor passed me anyway, 'cause she said I'll never have to use it. She was wrong. Parallel parking is pretty much the only kind of parking here in the city. I thought I could scrimp by and never have to do it...but I do. But I've learned a very valuable tidbit of help: you can gently "bump" a car in front of or behind you, and no ones thinks twice about it. Everyone does it. Or so I've been told. I'm just gonna go with it.
5. Always...always...double bag your groceries.
Everyone walks in the city (unless you are parallel parking, of course). You walk to the bank, a restaurant, work, the grocery store. And unless you have reusable shopping bags, you double bag your groceries. Cashiers know this, baggers know this, even the homeless man at the corner knows this. I, however, thought I was exempt from such a rule. One dreary, drizzly afternoon, I needed to run to the store to grab a few items. I parked my car at Hubs' school and ran not even half a block to the store. I paid for the things I needed at the self-pay machine and speedily threw everything into two separate bags. I thought, "I'm not going that far. I don't need to double bag this." Famous last words. I was just a few yards from the store when the inevitable "Kevin McCallister in Home Alone" moment happened. The bottom of my bag gave way, and I watched in horror (and drizzly rain) as my yogurt, butter, and cans of beans happily frolicked toward Chicago Avenue. I frantically tried to grab my items and shove what I could into the other bag and my purse, while still attempting to maintain my umbrella. It was sheer disaster. And probably movie scene material. Thankfully, a generous soul appeared (I think out of nowhere...maybe...) and covered me with his striped umbrella while I continued to stuff my wares into any available open space on my person. I still salute you, Man with the Striped Umbrella, wherever you are. Oh, and I also asked my mom for reusable shopping bags for Christmas...
So, there you have my "Chicago Five". I'm sure I will learn many other gems of useful information during my time here...I will wholeheartedly embrace each one. And share them with you as they come to me. ;)
Well, my faithful (hopefully) readers, that's all for today. Until we meet again!
4. Rats in the city are, quite possibly, bionic.
I don't really know how important this point is. But it's a fact. Or at least in my own imagination it's a fact. The first time I saw a city rat, I thought a small dog had crossed my path. They are huge. And gross. And everywhere. Ok, ok, maybe they aren't that huge. And honestly, they aren't everywhere. But I'm pretty sure they are larger than average rats. And they do show up more frequently than in mere back alleys. But I'm still not convinced that they aren't bionic...
5. Always...always...double bag your groceries.
Everyone walks in the city (unless you are parallel parking, of course). You walk to the bank, a restaurant, work, the grocery store. And unless you have reusable shopping bags, you double bag your groceries. Cashiers know this, baggers know this, even the homeless man at the corner knows this. I, however, thought I was exempt from such a rule. One dreary, drizzly afternoon, I needed to run to the store to grab a few items. I parked my car at Hubs' school and ran not even half a block to the store. I paid for the things I needed at the self-pay machine and speedily threw everything into two separate bags. I thought, "I'm not going that far. I don't need to double bag this." Famous last words. I was just a few yards from the store when the inevitable "Kevin McCallister in Home Alone" moment happened. The bottom of my bag gave way, and I watched in horror (and drizzly rain) as my yogurt, butter, and cans of beans happily frolicked toward Chicago Avenue. I frantically tried to grab my items and shove what I could into the other bag and my purse, while still attempting to maintain my umbrella. It was sheer disaster. And probably movie scene material. Thankfully, a generous soul appeared (I think out of nowhere...maybe...) and covered me with his striped umbrella while I continued to stuff my wares into any available open space on my person. I still salute you, Man with the Striped Umbrella, wherever you are. Oh, and I also asked my mom for reusable shopping bags for Christmas...
So, there you have my "Chicago Five". I'm sure I will learn many other gems of useful information during my time here...I will wholeheartedly embrace each one. And share them with you as they come to me. ;)
Well, my faithful (hopefully) readers, that's all for today. Until we meet again!
hahaaha I love this!!
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