chicago-bound

it's been about time for a new counting song. you know what i mean--the most famous example being brian mcknight: "one, you're like a dream come true; two, just want to be with you..." and now the plain white t's have revived the genre with: "there's only one thing to do, three words for you, i love you."

now tay swift's new song, "today was a fairytale" has come on. as much as i (admittedly) love her, i always feel a little scornful when this song plays. of course a day in your life can be a fairytale when you look like that, like one of the princesses in the picture books. and also, is it not time for us to get away from this fairytale metaphor for love? it's not exactly building positive self-esteem or good relational health in young girls--it didn't take too long for women's studies to figure that one out. i guess it's still what we all want though, isn't it?

and to think that i really should be devoting any writing energy towards a paper due next tuesday. but if i was being responsible, you would have been deprived of that brilliant social commentary. and who can really do homework on this first official day of spring break, when it is a gorgeous, warm atlanta day? i may be creating a miserable situation for myself come next sunday and monday, but so it goes. today's procrastination is tomorrow's late night. i'll take it.

i'm sitting in my room with the radio on (obviously), because i can never seem to pack without some kind of background noise. i feel like a member of the Price family from Kingsolver's Poisonwood Bible: trying to carry as much stuff on my person so that i won't have to check a bag. so i'm going to have cake mix in my pockets, if you'll allow the allusion. it's seventy degrees today but i'm going to wear my furry boots and my puffy vest with a scarf, and i'll be carrying my brown peacoat. my chucks are shoved into the front pocket of my bookbag, which i'm hoping still counts as a personal item. and thus the contents of my purse will be redistributed throughout the bookbag and suitcase. i have also been trying to decide what liquids i will bring in travel size (i paid the $3 for a mini bottle of mousse, which seems to be a comparable price for many full-sized bottles...), which i will hope to use of Kristen's, and which i may try to sneak through. my facial moisturizer is what is still giving me trouble. it's one ounce to big, but really, a lotion isn't a liquid, TSA. it's a completely different consistency.

sigh.

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i made it! i flew into a foggy chicago last night and have woken up to a warm sunny day (thanks for welcoming your southern friend well, midwest). made it to the airport early with the intention of finishing this blog post...only to find out that ATL airport charges for wi-fi. lame. so i actually was productive, which was my original intent, and read proverbs and did a little work on that paper. flight was okay, except for these two obnoxious girls sitting right behind me. two words: social cues. when trapped in a confined space surrounded by people who have no way to get away from you if necessary--please keep it down. i can't tune you out when the stewardess keeps coming by with a death stare for otherwise obedient passengers who just need to keep the iPod on as long as possible even if we are taking off or landing. lest you think i'm just being a jerk, here's an example of their banter. first of all, they were doing a crossword puzzle out loud together. and failing pretty miserably. the guy next to me got out the same magazine and whipped through the same puzzle, almost as if to prove that humanity hasn't fallen as far as these girls would make one believe. they determined that one clue's answer was odor, which prompted the question, "how do you spell odor, o-d-e-r?" and they had these grating northern 'a's. i really thought i had come a long way with northern accents, after living all summer with michigan and wisconsin. i even started saying 'pop' for coke, and that, friends is an achievement. but, ewww, those 'a's. needless to say, i bolted out of that cabin as quickly as possible, and was even happier to see KWood than ever.

and now we're about to adventure out after a good breakfast (with the promise of chicago pizza for lunch!). i woke up at 8:30 this morning--which i though was 8:30 central time, and therefore 9:30 my time, a perfectly acceptable hour. but no, it was in fact 8:30 my time and 7:30 here. so i'll sleep well tonight, especially after a day of getting to know this city!