How MrG Spent His Summer - September

September started off with a bit of car trouble. On the 3^rd, one car decided that it simply could not run if MrG was not constantly pressing the gas. This makes stop and go traffic -- Chicago traffic -- nearly impossible to navigate. Two days later MrG drove it to the shop and it became apparent that the car changed its mind. This was fortunate as the service adviser at the shop said, “we don’t work on that model, they’re not well made, get rid of it, it’s a money pit.”

It’s currently running fine, but a likely candidate for a trade in for something smaller and better for city driving.

On the 4^th, the other car managed to open some kind of hole in its exhaust system, making it sound like some kind of motorboat. This is appropriate seeing as how the car is really a land yacht.

In late September, MrG and PoMonkey went on a work-related road trip (in a rental car) to Louisville, KY. MrG had only passed through Louisville once before, but it’s not a bad place to go to a convention. Lots of hotel space near the convention center, and lots of off-site food and entertainment options.

MrG spent most of his September free time on a writing project. No, not this blog.

You've quite likely already heard the other big news from September.

How MrG Spent His Summer - August

MrG and PoMonkey were fortunate enough to have several people travel to Chicago and see them in August. They got to do a bunch of the touristy stuff in Chicago—Signature Room in the Hancock, boat tour of the Chicago River and Lake Michigan, Navy Pier, Michigan Avenue shopping, and more. We went to a Cubs game and while they lost, the bus ride to and from Wrigley Field passed through one of the, um, more colorful neighborhoods in Chicago. Saw the Bourne Ultimatum and Wicked (reviews forthcoming). Work/travel wise, MrG infiltrated attended the YearlyKos convention, which was held here in the Windy City. On the Saturday of the convention he saw all of the leading democratic presidential candidates in person. And yes, her voice is the like that in person too.

How MrG Spent His Summer – July

In July MrG flew on four different airlines, through six different airports in four days. Lesson: you can save a lot by purchasing one way tickets, taking advantage of airline code share flights, and MARC. Of course you may will pay for it with your time and sanity.

MrG stayed at Hotel Helix in between two of those flights/airports. Hotel Helix is a themed boutique hotel, whose theme is . . . Austin Powers' version of the late 1960s. The room included a leopard print robe and a faux bear skin blanket for the bed. Thanks Capt’n. At least a few people who have stayed there have found it fascinating enough to take and post pictures.

July also saw MrG get the worst sunburn of his life (while under an umbrella) at the beach. Finally in July, and actually spilling over into August, was the Curious Incident of the Dog Biscuit, which nearly resulted in PoMonkey blowing up the new condo. But that's another post for another day.

UPDATED: How Mister Ginger Spent His Summer

Fall is here, and with it an accounting of how Mister Ginger spent his summer.

June – In June MrG traveled to Washington DC and Kansas City. The DC trip included staying at the hotel where President Reagan was shot in 1981. Interestingly (at least to MrG), the KC trip did not include actually entering Kansas. It turns out that Kansas City, MO is much larger than Kansas City, KS. MrG has somehow visited all of the states that border Kansas, but never Kansas. This is just the kind of odd fact that he not only keeps track of, but likes to share. Aren't you glad he finally posted something?!?

Late in June—actually on the first full day of summer—MrG and PoMonkey moved to downtown Chicago. They now live in a 75 year old warehouse that has been converted to condos. Their unit overlooks a rail yard, and from their deck one can occasionally see hobos gathering around campfires, eating from their bindles, and swapping stories.




Coming soon: July (planes, trains, and hotels), August (no travel for MrG), and September so far (automobiles).