Fun and Games Dept
Living.
I’m standing on our patio. In the distance the Sears Tower is clearly visible, surrounded by other tall buildings just a couple of miles away. I hear music in the air; a nearby block party is still in progress. Airplanes are lined up in the sky on their approach to O’Hare. I hear a nearby conversation on an adjacent patio. Whiffs of cigar smoke occasionally pass by. Across the alley the lights in other condos reveal life in progress. The alley below is well lit with LED lights yet nearly silent. There is little movement below.
One month ago I sat in the backyard of our beautiful home in Central New York dreaming about our future life in Chicago.
That dream has come true.
Road Trip.
I had told Earl that when it was time to take the Jeep out to Chicago for the big move that I wanted to take two days to make the drive. This week has been occupied with packing, taking care of airplane ownership business, connecting utilities, disconnecting utilities, packing some more and deciding what was going to make the trip to move and what would be sold in our house sale in September.
I started the drive to Chicago this morning. We don’t close on the condo until Wednesday, and therefore we won’t be moving in until Wednesday at lunch time, but in order to accommodate a sane work schedule, we are driving the two vehicles out this weekend. Earl leaves tomorrow morning and will take all Interstate roads, I’m taking the back roads for the trip. I don’t like driving the Jeep at high rates of speed for extended periods of time, because it really is a backcountry/slower speed vehicle, so I’ve been meandering near the Interstates by way of local and U.S. routes.
The drive is pleasant. I’m stationed for the night in Clyde, Ohio in the last room available in this hotel. I’m continue my meandering in the morning with plans on arriving in Chicago tomorrow around dinner time.
The adventure has just begun.
Departure.
We are sitting in front of the Paradise Pier Hotel at the Disneyland Resort awaiting our bus to LAX. We will be riding in air-conditioned comfort on a Disneyland Express motorcoach. We have plenty of time until our 17:15 PDT flight to Chicago. I like this relaxed pace.
Tomorrow Earl and I will be driving from Chicago to our home in Central New York to get things ready for the move at the end of the month. Normally I would be bummed about leaving an awesome place like Disney, especially after a very enjoyable vacation like this one, but I’m excited about the adventure that lies ahead less than two weeks away.
I feel recharged. I feel supercharged. I’m ready for the next adventure.
49.
A quick thought before bed. I turned 49 today and my life couldn’t be better. Onward and upward.
Socially Awkward.
From the TCM website
One of my favorite “classic” movies is “Dear Heart”, a romantic comedy from 1964. Filmed in black and white, “Dear Heart” stars Geraldine Page and Glenn Ford as a couple that flirts with each other and ends up together by the time the credits roll. When I was younger I enjoyed this movie because it was the one time that you would see both Mrs. Kravitzes (from “Bewitched”), Alice Pearce and Sandra Gould, share a couple of scenes together, along with a couple of staples from the “Bewitched” series, as well as that old staple Mary Wickes.
As I watched the movie on many occasions over the years, I couldn’t help but notice that the lead character, Miss Evie Jackson played by Geraldine Page, had a charming social awkwardness about herself. She had hotel bellman announce her name of the PA system, she got to know her waiters and waitresses on a first name basis, she complimented strangers on their beards (a rarity in the 1960s), she was friendly with everyone. She was outgoing in a sort of awkward way. I totally identify with that and while I don’t see myself in a female role in anyway (I love my junk and the hormones that come with it), I can awkward like that in social situations. In the past I’ve worried about this sort of thing to the point that I’ve sent messages in my swinging days that said things like, “we’re we suppose to have sex?” but just shy of age 49 I don’t really care if I’m awkward or not anymore.
Earl and I just had dinner at a local Chicago restaurant near O’Hare Airport (let’s say it rhymes with Jiobarno’s) and I chatted up the waitress a little bit. Her name was JoAnn. She was missing a tooth. She seemed flustered, hurried and over it all, but after a few moments of idle chatter she calmed down and we ended up having a pleasant time that was originally off to a rocky start (it took a long while for any of the service staff to discover us). I believe that once I worked up the gumption to engage in some idle chatter (fueled by 48 ounces of 312 Green Line IPA) and JoAnn relaxed a bit, everything worked out in the end.
There’s nothing wrong with complimenting a man on his beard or asking a woman how her evening is or exchanging chit chat with a stranger as you climb to your floor together. Sure, as a middle-aged “Dad” type I might creep into the realm of creepy for some, but pay attention to me and you’ll discover that I’m not some creep. Listen to my words and you’ll discover that we can all relax.
I think we need a little more social awkwardness in the world today so that we can break the ice and find common ground together In Real Life. Get off the phone, chat up a stranger and share a smile.
You could brighten someone’s day.
Excitement.
Earl and I are in Chicago for a few days before heading off for vacation mid-week. We didn’t know where we would be right now so we booked our flights out of O’Hare. This is my last trip to the Windy City before our house closing at the beginning of August.
As we were sitting on the Kennedy Expressway waiting for traffic to sort itself out I couldn’t help but reflect on the excitement I feel when we come into Chicago. A long buried dream of living in a big city is coming true at age 49. I still find it hard to believe.
I’m excited about the new challenges that come with the life semi-reboot. I’ll be learning new terrain for my home turf as a pilot. I’ll sit in traffic if I’m not riding the train. We will be living in a different time zone. There’s much more available to us 24 hours a day.
So much to explore. So much to enjoy. So much excitement.
