The Whirlwind Adventures of the Whimsical Trio

I'm a horrible blogger. It's been over 3 months. You could blame it on the weather. It's this deadening force that sucks you up into a cyclone of scarves and wool and throws you into hibernation. Friendships, grocery shopping, dating-- all become impossible. All that is possible is Netflix and delivery Thai food. The writers' strike certainly didn't help things. And all the shitty movies in February and March. Battlestar waits just until it is pleasant enough for me to want to go outside to start the final season. But, as far as I can tell, there is nothing more exhilarating than the hint of Spring on the horizon after 5 months of peeking out from under my toboggan. When the sun is out, the city feels like one big smile. The lonely crowd finds a common cause, a shared joy. Winter itself seems to be something you suffer alone, but Spring is a cause for celebration, an excuse for human contact.

I made it to Vegas in January again this year to spend a week with family and slot machines. I thought this would be enough of a winter escape. I was quite wrong and by March I found myself on Southwest and American Airlines everyday searching for someplace, anyplace that I could run off to. Just for a weekend. Get a quick dose of Vitamin D then back to the city. I was becoming obsessed. Finally the pressure cracked and I booked a flight to Fayetteville for Easter weekend, to see my ladies (and a few gentlemen I am fond of). I had a glorious time and celebrated the Sun (on the weekend of the Son) with games of frisbee and washers. Two days later my mother and brother came to Chicago for a visit, which was also great even if cold and windy.

Then circumstances grabbed hold and I found myself in need of an emergency visit to Savannah, Georgia. Lily and .beth. were both accepted to the Savannah College of Art and Design (for M.F.A.s in Painting and Illustration respectively). And the decision had to be made before May 1st, when the deposits are due. So I spent M,T,W of last week in Savannah with the girls and Jonathan. Savannah is so Old South, dreamy and beautiful. We had a great time. But Lily was also accepted to the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, and she traveled to the great cold North immediately after Georgia. I went back to Chicago for 24 hours then took a night bus to Minneapolis to meet her and visit our good friend Adam. While we were there, we visited 2 museums, saw two plays, and one jazz concert. The people at the school were so helpful and I feel like we really have all the information we need now. I have a feeling Lily will wake in the middle of the nite soon with a decision she reached unconsciously. I trust her subconscious though. It knows what she needs.

Saturday nite I took another bus back to Chicago, caught a three hour nap, then made it to Doug's play Visions of Kerouac, in which he played Jack himself. I was really proud of him. It was the best thing he has ever done.

Now, I'm over-cultured and over-traveled and ready to stay put in my city as the sun comes up. I might even buy groceries this week.