Pre-Production: Day 2 & 3 - Erie to Chicago.

Our trip from Erie to Chicago was flawless. We made it in about 6.5 hours and aside from my car's sudden lack of window washing fluid and its sensitivity to the lake effect winds, the trip was smooth. Actually, even with those things it was smooth. Took us two seconds to refill the washing fluid - and I'm glad I know how to do it now so I don't have to pay other people to do something so simple.

Biggest things I forgot I missed about the Midwest:
-Chicago (obviously). It is cold as a frozen-over hell in the winter, but people who live here love their city, regardless. It has so much to offer and it never shuts down. There are so many hole-in-the-wall neighborhoods and beautiful streets (unfortunately clouded with gritty snow this time of year, but still kickin'). It's like New York City, but spacious and more affordable... and, in my opinion, much prettier. I'm going to go ahead and say that I think it's the best big city in the world. And that's a bold statement, considering it's like 5 degrees outside right now.

-being able to walk away from the gas pump as you're pumping it. Taxachusetts takes out the critical element to every pump that allows you to set the nozzle to squeeze itself. Instead, and probably for your "safety" you are forced to freeze to death, squeezing a metal trigger, until your tank is full.

Thank you to the "i dont care about your safety - let's play it the Darwin way" Midwest. Now I can sit in my car, avoiding frostbite, until my tank is full.


-my Killian family. Since moving away from Chicago six years ago I haven't had the chance to see my Killian side that often. Granted most Killians have moved away, I had the chance to see a small cluster of Killians on my brief stint in Chicago, as they were in town working to sell my Grandma's house. SO much fun. Ann, Sharon, Colleen, Brian... my dad has some pretty great siblings, it's too bad he's half-way around the world right now. I'm lucky to think that I have such a cool family (on both sides). Something tells me that's rare.

-byob restaurants. brilliant! another thing Taxachusetts won't allow. But so cost-effective for us patrons! I went to a great byob Thai place with Stacey and Lisa last night. I love those girls. Lisa said it right: "whenever you come back here it feels like you never left and you're never leaving." It does feel like that. And I love that. I love having so many places that feel like home. And I love having such amazing friends to come home to -and who will VISIT ME IN LOS ANGELES IMMEDIATELY. (shameless shout out, and also an order) ...HEART!

Things I did NOT miss about the Midwest:
-Chicago's pot holes in the winter. these things are like the most unavoidable cement canyons you'll ever see. it's horrendous. i can hear my car crying whenever it catches one.

That's pretty much all I can think of right now. Oh, and also.. THE FREEZING COLD.

Anecdote about Ohio:
Midway through Ohio my AMAZING MOTHER WHO IS SO MUCH FUN and I (is that better, mom?) stopped at a rest stop to get some coffee. I was suffering with some major cappuccino cravings and there was no suitable coffee shop to be found. Only a McDonalds. Lame. But then I realized NOT so lame because they're been advertising their asses off about these new starbucksian drinks they serve. Score. So I get to the counter at McDonalds and a very put-together older woman who I felt should be working at a sewing shop and not a McDonalds off of the highway asked for my order.
me: hi. can I get a medium cappuccino with skim milk please?
her: sure, what flavor would you like?
me: what?
her: french vanilla or hazelnut.
me: um, no flavor, please.
she crinkles her brow in confusion - and also as though she thinks I'm an idiot.
her: no flavor?
i nod.
me: yep, just a regular cappuccino. no sugar
her eyes widen briefly, like some invisible object had just hit her over the back of her head.
her: wow. okay.

me in my head: WHAT IS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE? HAVEN'T YOU EVER HEARD OF NORMAL COFFEE BEFORE?!

So I get my coffee and I'm slightly skeptical about the lack of communication between the lovely lady who took my order and the other very sweet woman who was making it, so I open the lid and smell it. HOLY God above! we're talking french vanilla sugar fumes wafting straight into my brain. So I politely ask the woman who made the drink to take another run at my crazy idea of what a cappuccino should be. And she did. And I tasted it. And it was perfect. And I was happy, albeit very sad that those two women would never know the sweet nectar that is a non-sweetened cappuccino. Oh, Ohio, how you humor me.


Today: picking up Jeff in an hour. Heading to Champaign, IL to get Melissa. Let it begin.
(and yes, mom, you were fun, too, just relax -everybody already knows how cool you are)