If Funky Brown Chick posts like Eating Too Much Corn Makes You Goofy and I’m from Illinois, Bitches! didn’t already give it away, I’m from the Midwest. I like to keep up with hometown’s happenings. Perusing online news sites yesterday, I discovered Chicago’s Sear Tower has a new name: Willis Tower. Whatevs. If my know my the second largest city in the US like I think I do, people will keep calling the building by the old name. The Tribune agrees: “On the day that the nation’s tallest building was officially renamed Willis Tower, at least a few Chicagoans were still in the dark — or, at the least, denial — about the skyscraper’s new identity.” The reporter quotes Second City-dweller Sue Becker, 53, who comments, “They still call it Marshall Field’s, so it’s always going to be Sears Tower.” It’s one of the many things I love about my beloved home state: People are less likely to wrapped up in stuff that doesn’t matter. Sure, some big fancy London-based insurance brokerage (Willis Group Holdings, Ltd.) can roll into town and hang its name on one of the city’s favorite buildings, but that doesn’t really “change” anything. It’s still the Sears Tower. God, I love the Midwest.
Next month, I’ll return to Chicago because I’m speaking at BlogHer. (Shout out to my fellow panelists: Laura Roeder, Ree Drummond and Susan Getgood.) It will be good to get out of New York for a bit. Although I often pick on Illinois and mention all the reasons I left it (i.e. it’s more segregated than The Old South, colder than Siberia and located in the middle of fucking nowhere), I don’t spend enough time talking about the handful of things that made me love it while I was there. So, next week, I’ll take you along for a hometown visit. I’ll post pictures of my favorite things, places and foods. Granted, for now, I much prefer living in New York City, but that doesn’t mean Chicago wasn’t a hell of a town.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
if I was to ever leave Venice….. it would be for Chicago….. the music… the people.. Da’ Bears….. and all that lovely good food…..
lamesabassman….. could use some of that BBQ about now…..
Chicago? Meh. Wasilla rocks.
Chicago is the best city on planet Earth
lamesabassman: Chicago has good BBQ, but Texas (and Argentina) are better.
Baba Doodlius: I bet their tourism went up after whatshername, oh yes, “The Beauty Queen,” ran for vice president. :)
dragonslayer: Nut-uh!!! ;)
Si … where the tables all have paddles with stop ‘n’ go on them…..
lamesabassman…… you do that … then starve 4 a week to undo the damage….. then select
a date….. to do it again…… do you ever go to the salad bar… just once……..
While I have to agree that Chicago is filled with much to see, do and EAT (this is a category all in it’s own).. what do you do after you’ve lived there and seen it all? You move to Indiana.. exactly what I’ve done. I’m a City rat turned Country mouse to and I’m fine with this. Every blue moon I’ll get a wild hair up my ass and take a ride pass the Buckingham Fountain and view the mirror-effect windows of the Marina Condiminums, however, I wouldn’t move back. In my opinion, everything’s changed, this included the people. It’s as though this part of the earth has become shallow as well as too busy to lend a helping hand to their fellow human. It’s as though this part of the earth is sinking into it’s own pithole w/crooked politicians and scandelous everday people. The list goes on and on when I refer to the people of Chicago and let it be known I speak of a portion of them, not ALL.
In final, much to see, much to do, much to experience, but I’m cool where I’m at now.
Peace to all.
My apologies for plenty of incorrect grammatics. Tired today and maybe I should’ve waited to post this, however, I’m very new to blogging and guess what… Funky Brown Chick is my guinea pig *snickers*
LovEMuffinS: The City of Chicago? Corrupt? Huh?