Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Chi-town.

Does anyone but me remember when Chicago was called Chi-town (pronounced Shytown)?

Even though I lived pretty close to Chicago, I never got terribly familiar with it. I visited it most when I was in my twenties, living in Madison. I stayed close to Michigan Avenue (the Miracle Mile) during those days.

Right now, I'm staying in the theater district. Dirty Dancing is playing next door. (Tagline: "Nobody puts Baby in a corner.") When I was in my twenties, Dirty Dancing was a Patrick Swayze/Jennifer Grey movie. Wicked is playing down the block.

It's chilly here, but not awful. I walked eight blocks from my hotel to the opening reception for the conference and wasn't in any real pain -- even though I didn't wear a hat. It's true: it's cooler near the lake. And breezier.

The reception was all about networking -- and I'm proud to say I met several people and stayed for well over an hour. Tomorrow's sessions are punctuated every couple of hours with networking breaks. I hope to live through it. (Argh.)

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey, why aren't I there? Networking? I love networking! Sorry you're having to suffer through it, but I know you'll come up roses! I miss Chicago. Yes, I know I lived in Madison and only visited Chicago, but I loved those visits . . . have a great time.

Eric Chastain said...

The best use of "Chi Town" was by CW McCall in convoy. I probably know it by heart. Scary.

"Well, we rolled up Innerstate fourty-four
Like a rocket sled on rails
We tore up all of our swindle sheets
And left 'em settin' on the scales
By the time we hit that Shy Town
Them bears was a gettin' smart
They'd brought up some reinforcements
From the Illinois national guard
There's armored cars and tanks and jeeps
And rigs of every size
Yeah, them chicken coops was full of bears
And choppers filled the skies
Well, we shot the line
We went for broke
With a thousand screamin' trucks
And eleven long haired Friends of Jesus
In a Chartreuse microbus.... *convoyyy*"

I had a VERY good steak at Hugo's Frog Bar (part of Gibsons), and a fairly lousy one at the Chicago Chop House. Cammy and I intend to visit Chicago together someday.

Carolyn Hansen said...

Not to be too picky, but if you're going to hit Chi-town, you'd best be on Innerstate niney-four.

Just sayin'.