What happens when you take two gals from the Midwest, stick them on a train headed to Chicago, and drop them off there for 24 hours? Crazy adventures ensue and fun memories are created.
Dropped off in Chicago we hightailed it for our hotel. A few wrong turns later we made it. Heather embarrassed us in front of the desk staff...but because of that we got a sweet room at the Inn of Chicago. The location and room were superb!
The next morning, we got up bright and early and headed to West Egg Cafe where good eggs were had by all. (Complete with avocados!) We did an architectural boat tour down the Chicago River. We took a water taxi that had a very intense captain. We shopped at Lush, spent way too much money on organic hair products, and met Nate - who told us that we are his favorite customers because of living in Warsaw, IN (because that's where "American Teen" was shot). Heather ate her dream donut from Dunkin' Donuts, we grabbed a sandwich from an extremely inefficient Subway, and then it was back on the train and home. (I'm not going to lie, we were EXTREMELY exhausted when we arrived home.)
But, I'm convinced that friendships need this even more. Family ties remain regardless of participation (although there are exceptions and ties can be damaged) but friendships have to be attended to. After high school and college I realized that it isn't really all that easy to forge new friendships, at least not for me. If you don't work with people your age, how does one make new friends? For me, it doesn't just happen. It's intentional and it takes effort. I'm now really cherishing my friendships that have stood the test of time. And it is because I value friendship, (I really think one has to have these apart from familial relationships) that I like to create memories with friends. And I like to talk about those memories. And I like to look at those memories, which is why I take SO MANY pictures. This is one reason that my annual vacations with my friend Heather, and our sometimes companions Andrea and Janice, are so treasured by me. I am so thankful that I get to have that experience each year. In a few weeks we are all heading to Santa Fe, NM. It will be the 10th vacation for Heather and me. I can't wait to create some new memories, to form tighter bonds, to deepen good friendships...to write the next chapter in my history book.
My friend Heather and I spent about 24 hours together last weekend. We hopped on the South 
Shore train from South Bend and spent an evening and day in Chi-Town. It started with a great train ride. I can say no more because it will incriminate myself. But we had fun...and people stared at us. A great 2 1/2 hours to catch up and ponder life's greatest questions. (i.e. "Have you noticed how sexist some of the commentators of the Olympics are?")
Shore train from South Bend and spent an evening and day in Chi-Town. It started with a great train ride. I can say no more because it will incriminate myself. But we had fun...and people stared at us. A great 2 1/2 hours to catch up and ponder life's greatest questions. (i.e. "Have you noticed how sexist some of the commentators of the Olympics are?")
Dropped off in Chicago we hightailed it for our hotel. A few wrong turns later we made it. Heather embarrassed us in front of the desk staff...but because of that we got a sweet room at the Inn of Chicago. The location and room were superb!We headed to a play at the Goodman Theatre, had an excellent supper next door, and then hit the city looking for Blue Chicago. Blues has got to be one of my all time favorite types of music to see live. But in order to see great blues bands, one normally has to go to a blues bar. This leads to lots of interesting encounters. The band was so great! The crowd was hilarious. Let's just say the men in the bar were WAY more interested in being band groupies than hittin' on the ladies. (When the lead singer, a man, sang the line "I need you to love me," the men yelled out "WE LOVE YOU!!!") Refreshing. And the 45 year old white women were totally enamored with the lead guitarist and singer of the band. They were shamelessly throwing themselves at him. All this and we heard such great blues that evening! What fun.
The next morning, we got up bright and early and headed to West Egg Cafe where good eggs were had by all. (Complete with avocados!) We did an architectural boat tour down the Chicago River. We took a water taxi that had a very intense captain. We shopped at Lush, spent way too much money on organic hair products, and met Nate - who told us that we are his favorite customers because of living in Warsaw, IN (because that's where "American Teen" was shot). Heather ate her dream donut from Dunkin' Donuts, we grabbed a sandwich from an extremely inefficient Subway, and then it was back on the train and home. (I'm not going to lie, we were EXTREMELY exhausted when we arrived home.)
One of the important things about weekends like this are the memories created. I have come to realize that it is impossible for me to stay close to people when we cease creating memories together. There is only so long that you can remain friends with someone when the only things you have to talk about are the "good old days." Now, I'm not saying you have to travel with someone to create memories. Memories can be created at run-of-the-mill gatherings where someone dumps a plate of food on you, or an arm gets broken playing dodge ball. (I'm sure there are also "nice" ways of creating memories.) But memories are a powerful glue that holds us together and gives a community identity. History, after all, is just a collection of memories. (I'd like to think that all the memories I'm gathering are writing the textbook of The History of Lisa Lynne Schmucker Showalter.) Families need to share their memories and to create new ones for this reason.
But, I'm convinced that friendships need this even more. Family ties remain regardless of participation (although there are exceptions and ties can be damaged) but friendships have to be attended to. After high school and college I realized that it isn't really all that easy to forge new friendships, at least not for me. If you don't work with people your age, how does one make new friends? For me, it doesn't just happen. It's intentional and it takes effort. I'm now really cherishing my friendships that have stood the test of time. And it is because I value friendship, (I really think one has to have these apart from familial relationships) that I like to create memories with friends. And I like to talk about those memories. And I like to look at those memories, which is why I take SO MANY pictures. This is one reason that my annual vacations with my friend Heather, and our sometimes companions Andrea and Janice, are so treasured by me. I am so thankful that I get to have that experience each year. In a few weeks we are all heading to Santa Fe, NM. It will be the 10th vacation for Heather and me. I can't wait to create some new memories, to form tighter bonds, to deepen good friendships...to write the next chapter in my history book. 
1 comment:
Thanks for leaving out the incriminating evidence to protect the innocence. Great times in the windy city, thus named because it's windy...
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