Merge

Chicago smells like chocolate. Especially around the river. I can't understand it, or explain it, but almost every time I'm near the river, no matter at what point along it, I smell chocolate. No one who lives here seems to know what I'm talking about. I just take it as one of life's little joys.

I sit in an office Monday through Friday from 9 to 5 doing very little. The work that comes in is both rare and simple, which gives me more than enough time to watch TV shows I missed over the last few years. I've seen Entourage, and I'm getting up to speed on The Shield and The Sopranos. Maybe by the time this job has done, I'll have seen Prison Break and Dexter as well.

I sold my truck. It hurts, but it had to be done. Paying for vehicle upkeep when there's no need to drive it is just silly, so I threw it on eBay and the new owner picked it up last night. It was the first vehicle I ever bought, and I had it for exactly nine years and one month. At least I can put the cash toward credit cards, get one more of them off my back.

Bouncing is fun. I'm amazed at the stupidity of drunken people. I kicked out a guy tonight who'd taken his pants off. He was surprised that there was more than one person who was upset by that—I was glad it was 40 degrees and raining.

I love this town. It's regularly twenty to thirty degrees colder up here than in Dallas. I have all this cold weather gear and clothing, and I love the fact that I get to wear it all the time. Of course, I may not be so cheery when it's March and the temperature is still freezing. Hell, I'm already looking forward to the way my street is going to look in the spring, when all the trees go into bloom and the world starts waking up again.

I'm sad to hear that Industry Bar closed. I was so looking forward to going back when I'm home for Christmas—not just to see everyone, but because I haven't shot pool since August, and it kills me. Maybe when I start making money around here, I'll find where I can afford to play a game. At the moment, the only places I know the bartender (and therefore can afford to drink in) are sports bars, where I have to pretend I know/give a shit about sports. And frankly, I'm amazed that I hear more country music in the bars up here than I ever did at home. Damn it, I'm hitting the wrong places, I guess.

Speaking of Christmas (which I suppose I was just barely doing), I'll be home late Friday night through late Tuesday night, so someone from MTM better pick a new place to hang out by the time I get there (I suggest TNT, it's the most similar atmosphere to Industry I can think of). But maybe by then there'll be a new sign hanging over the door of the old place, and there will still be Stone Temple Pilots on the jukebox, dollar pool tables, and $2 wells on Sunday night.

Either way, I miss my friends. Please be available this Christmas.