Ch-Ch-Chicago

Did you know that in addition to being a band specializing in power ballads and a fishnet-drenched musical, Chicago's a city? It's true. And as it turns out, I'll be getting to know Chicago the city very well very soon. This fall I'll be at the University of Chicago working on my master's. It's a year-long program: three quarters of classes and time during the summer to work on my master's thesis, so once the clock strikes first-day-of-school time, I'll be working my butt off for an entire year. Meanwhile, Markus will be back in Seattle, working his butt off so that we can pay for my fancy learnin'.

Other than visiting a couple of times, I haven't spent much time in Chicago, so I've been asking people about it. Here's what they've said:

--"Oh, Chicago! Chicago's not an easy place to live."
--"I'm glad I left Chicago for Seattle."
--"Chicago's kind of like Houston. Fat, badly dressed people."
--"I can't wait to leave Chicago."
--And the one that strikes terror in my heart: "I'll tell you what kind of coat you should buy later."

So I'm super psyched to live in Chicago! But, seriously, most of the people I've asked about Chicago live in Seattle, which, like San Francisco and New York, is one of those dream cities that you never want to leave. So their opinions might be a little bit skewed. Regardless, I was pretty bummed when my informal poll found that Chicago's not a very popular place.

But then I remembered Ferris Bueller. Ferris loves Chicago! So much that he risked getting caught skipping school by his parents, his psycho principal, and his mean sister just so he could go to the Art Institute of Chicago, see a Cubs game, eat at a fancy French restaurant, and wreck his buddy Cameron's car. So, really, if it's good enough for Ferris, it's good enough for me.