Planting flowers

I borrowed the March issue of Paste from my sister's roommate for the flight back to Chicago yesterday, and by borrowed I mean stealthily grabbed it and shoved it in my bag. Eppley, all Scooters Coffee and friendly service, pleasantly surprised me with a delayed flight, so I had plenty of time to eat a flavorless apple, stare at strangers and read the magazine from cover to cover. There was a sidebar about a country-singing couple called The Wrights who released their second album in January on a small indie label. A midday spaceout led me to check them out and subsequently love them. As far as country music goes, I think you should go big or go home. I'm not a fan of the loud in between.

The trip to Omaha flew by, most likely because I spent most of it in a sleep-deprived, mildly hungover stupor. As I stood in Michaela's kitchen eating discount ice cream at 3:00 Saturday morning, she reminded me that I'd been up for just shy of 24 hours straight. The next day I took advantage of this fact by being mean to my family and reading a book during Mary Clare's graduation ceremony.

I made it out to E&S Friday afternoon to have lunch with my old coworkers. Afterward I quickly perused the office in search of familiar faces. Most of the people I knew were out for one reason or another, and instead I was met with a bunch of fresh, unjaded youngins. I wanted desperately to pull a Billy Madison, shaking them and throwing them into cubical walls (for effect), warning them to stay put for as long as possible. It wasn't until I left that I saw that place as a cocoon of creativity, happy hours, baby showers, halloween candy, karaoke and general comfort. I've never felt as much in my element as I did there, and I hope I can eventually get back there in some capacity... figuratively.

Other things I did:
Discovered that Hal Holbrook is alive, well and headlining at the Orpheum
Took a family nap
Subjected a box turtle and two hamsters to some drunken roughhousing and an impromptu photoshoot
Ate at Jason's Deli on one of my family's three trips there (within a 36-hour span of time, mind you)
Soundly beat my brother in tic-tac-toe
Missed out on seeing a number of people I wanted to see (but with any luck, I'll be back later this summer)
Noticed that the Deweyplex is for rent and resisted the urge to turn it into a museum
Felt really, really old


I'll stop waxing nostalgic since I'm pretty sure the only other person who reads this besides me is that Brazilian flat screen television salesman who commented on the other blog. But needless to say, it was good to be back. The last six years of my life are parceled within its borders, bound by the Missouri, topped off by Council Bluffs. I miss it more than anything. I'm glad I'm trying something new. And as my brother so astutely pointed out as we finished off our last bites of soft serve, Chicago is getting a Jason's Deli this summer.