Things I Love Thursday - Part 41

I live in a city people come from all over the world to visit. I don't live in the suburbs and SAY I live in the city.  I live in the city, god dammit.  I pay the taxes, I live here.  When you live in the suburbs and SAY you live in the city, you are a poser.  I may live in the suburbs one day (tear), but I won't ever claim to still live in the glorious and expensive as sin city that is Chicago. 

It's an absolutely perfect day here in Chicago.  Almost 80 degrees and sunny, with no humidity.  These are the days that people who live in Chicago their whole lives dream about during the cold winter months (we used to have winters here, I swear!) and the blistering hot 95 degree days of summer where the smell of urine and rotting food flow through the alleyways and the Chicago River has a certain stink that is not quite identifiable. 

But for today, and quite a lot lately actually, it's just lovely here in my fair City.

And it is a fair city to be sure.  I need a city lifestyle like I need air.  I need to be able to take the train and not have to drive.  I hate driving.  I get nervous driving. Other people make me nervous when I'm driving next to them.  I don't know what the hell they are going to do at any given time.  I need to be able to walk as far as I can to get where I need to go.  I need to be able to see where I'm going a block away and find locations so easily because they are based on a grid and I don't have to drive 10 extra miles and back track if I miss something.  I need to be able to walk down one street and find 18 different nationalities and crazy all within arms reach.  I am pretty vanilla, where I grew up was pretty vanilla and so to be surrounded by flavor and culture is something I crave.  It's exciting and there's always something to see and someone to meet and talk to.  There's usually crazy thrown right in there, and I NEED THAT.

I get to work in a building that is known all over the world.  As much as that is annoying sometimes, it is also, pretty damn cool.  I'm honored to work here.

I just call it the Tower.  It will always be the Sears Tower to Chicagoans.  None of this Willis Tower Nonsense.  YES,  I WORK IN THAT BUILDING!  HOW COOL IS THAT?

There is water.  There is industry.  There is nature.  There is a fantastical story around every corner.  We are on top of each other all the time.  We are in each others business.  WE are responsible for each other.  We are in the Midwest so we are safe from weather and natural disasters.  Nothing terrible weather wise happens in the city the way it does on the coasts. 

One of our friends gave us this poster as a gift.  It's in our kitchen now.  He said they reminded him of Chris and I.  I just love the "beautiful churches".

My parents were in town last weekend and we went to the Chicago History Museum.  Which was really freaking cool.  There is so much history here.  Some good, some bad.  Some damn crazy.  We have politicians that make headlines constantly.  We have a great public transportation service.  We also have the lake shore, the skyline and terrible sports teams.  We have epic AA here.  I am so blessed to live somewhere with so many great meetings at all times.  We have music and theatre and great food of every kind, if you are so inclined and courageous. 

I love my city.  Some day I have a feeling I won't be living in Chicago proper anymore and I will look back on all these years living here with bittersweet affection.  But I am not waiting for that day, I am damn lucky to be living here now, TODAY, and don't take it for granted for one second.  To live somewhere I love, and appreciate, and don't find myself saying, "I need to get out of here".....that's pretty damn great.  That's the Thing I Love this Thursday.

And you don't ever want to miss this gem either, buckle up!  It's the Lake Shore Drive song!

Oh and one more thing, please don't call my fair city Chi-town.  It hurts everybody's feelings.  I'm just here to help.  Just call it Chicago.