Short Stories

Did you miss me? I was attending a work conference in Chicago. I am worn out - I worked almost every minute not spent listening attentively to speakers (some good, some not so much), eating or sleeping. Good times. I think I am becoming a workaholic and may need an exorcism. I do not like to arrive at the airport one moment before I absolutely have to - hospitals and airports are not my favorite hangouts. I have become so pathetic/insane that I intentionally arrived at Midway 2 1/2 hours early so I could get a "good seat" in the airport. I fly a certain airline that recently merged with another airline to form a behemoth with scant services. Another smaller airline that still allows bags to fly free has a seating area down a spell from my gate with "luxury" seating and built in electical outlets.

Flight to Chicago, $200
CTA transit card for Midway to the Loop and back, $5
2 nights at Magnificent Mile boutique hotel, $250
Comfortably sitting in the airport charging one's iPod and laptop while studying, priceless

Stay tuned for head spinning.

Now for a couple of Chunky short stories.

The other day I kicked Chunky off Club Penguin and shooed him outside to play. He met up with a [girl]friend a couple blocks over who is in his class at school. He came home hours later with two sports jerseys in hand. A neighbor of the girl's is a family from our school as well - they recognized Chunky and asked if he'd like the jerseys. He recognized them as the family who owned a cabin we stayed at last year (fundraising auction at school). They asked how the cabin stay was and he told them no one else liked it but he did. He went on to tell them they should get new beds because the ones they had were uncomfortable and there was a dead mouse in the kitchen. Have I mentioned I'm the president of the PTA at Chunky's school?!

Another day Chunky brought home a "Star Parent" form from school. Parents are encouraged to share their talents - profession and/or hobby - with the class. I had no sooner picked up the form to read it before Chunky took it out of my hand saying, "yeah, I'm going to ask Dad to do that 'cause I don't really know what you do". First thought: ouch. Second thought: yeah, I don't really know what I do either so he's a much better bet.