Homesick

I had a strange dream last night about El Paso in which I witnessed an accident - a police car running over a student or something - and I ran around the neighborhood near Franklin High School on foot.

When I woke up I expected to be in my bed at home in El Paso and despite the strangeness of the dream, I was a little disappointed to discover that I wasn't actually at "home" but was at home, in Chicago.

My mom gets subscriptions for me to some El Paso publications (El Paso Magazine and the El Paso, Inc. newspaper) so I can keep up with the news there. Completely aghast at the increasing violence in Juarez (now dubbed one of the most dangerous places in the world; see a good summary of the issue from Newspaper Tree here) and curious about how El Paso will address the issue long-term, I do get homesick from time to time and still think ELP would be a great place to live. No thriving PR or theatre industry there tho, so doubtful we will return permanently.

It could also have something to do with the fact that it's 62 degrees there today. To clarify, that's 62 degrees ABOVE ZERO, because "above or below zero?" is a valid question these days.

Fare Fire Sale

Ok, there is a flight from Chicago to Austin on sale at AA.com right now for ONE HUNDRED AND SEVEN DOLLARS AND I AM NOT EVEN KIDDING.

Also from Chicago to El Paso for $167! I had to refresh the web page just to make sure I wasn't going crazy like that time JetBlue was selling fares for $.99 cents or whatever and it turned out to be a computer glitch but they didn't catch it until about a gazillion and a half people bought tickets.

I heart Lincoln Square

My neighborhood is absolutely gorgeous right now - the huge trees lining my street are bright green and everyone has their lawns and porches filled with flowers and potted plants. I make myself take a few minutes every day just to look at everything and contemplete how pretty it is. My mind is usually racing with work and other thoughts and if I'm not careful, I can make it to the train or run my errands and back without ever lifting my eyes off the pavement in front of me - a crime this time of year in a city that's bleak and barren and essentially uninhabitable most of the time. I don't mean to say, of course, that I don't miss Texas, but this is why I still live here.

(I live in the lesser-known "Lincoln" neighborhood of Chicago: Lincoln Square. The Square is second, of course, to Lincoln Park - the trendy, busy neighborhood immediately north of downtown and crowded with the immediately-post-college set. I used to call Lincoln Park home, actually, when I was attending DePaul and didn't know any better. Granted, there were some beautiful parts of LP, and good restaurants and shopping, but I was over the scene - way over - in about two seconds. Too bad it took me two years to figure that out!)

My little pitch for Lincoln Square and an observation: life is good.

You don't know me; you don't wear my chains

Great lyrics to "Boston" by Augustana. Took a bit of creative license with them to be fitting with Texas, of course.

She said I think I'll go to (Austin)
I think I'll start a new life
I think I'll start it over; where no one knows my name
I'll get out of California; I'm tired of the weather
I think I'll get a lover and fly him out to Spain
I think I'll go to (Austin)
I think that I'm just tired
I think I need a new town; to leave this all behind
I think I need a sunrise; I'm tired of the sunset
I hear it's nice in the Summer

(I don't really want to leave Chicago. I just like the song.)

Endless Winter Haiku

Six inches of snow
Glass of wine before dinner
Sushi Mike solves all

The only thing we're missing is Tiffany's Treats

Finally we get a *nice day in Chicago, and I'm celebrating it by... staying indoors, living a true day in the life of a city girl: housekeeping service, grocery delivery, laundry pick-up, a pedicure, and I might even order in sushi tonight.

You can't get that in El Paso!

*above freezing