Chicago: check

Yeah, I lied. The only picture I took in Chicago was of the guys playing Wii tennis. But, I will say this: Lake Michigan is east of Chicago. Thus, when you are on the bus driving down Lake Shore Drive at 6:30 am, the sun is rising over the lake, and it is just too beautiful. And then if you want to finish viewing the sunset over breakfast from the third floor of a building on the lake in a room with floor-to-ceiling windows, well, that's okay too. Chicago makes a good argument for moving there.

Also. We were staying with one of Brandon's friends from college. He has a giant apartment on the North Side with two roommates. I also have some friends in Chicago, but we wanted to stay together and knew there was room for both of us at this place. Anyway, I wanted to try to see one of my friends from middle school while I was there. I see him when I'm in his city, and we exchange about two long emails a year. One of those friends. Anyway. Once I got to Chicago, I gchatted him to see where he lived, if meeting up would be practically reasonable. Ha. Turns out he lives In The Same Building we were staying in. Out of all of Chicago, it turned out he was just down the hall. I'm all about weird, kismety coincidences like that. So, yeah, we had dinner. I met his cats. It was easy.

Now I am sick and in St. Louis. The whole stress and minimal sleep and flying on airplanes with recirculated air did me in, and I am at the peak of some sort of cold/flu thing. But it's okay, because after tomorrow I get a break: no more interviews until December 3! Yay! I will be flying to and from Portland for Thanksgiving in that time period, but that's a pleasure trip instead of a business trip. And I will sleep and be a real person instead of this weird interview version of myself I am constantly being. I'm looking forward to it.