Chicago! Chicago! That... that town.

I've lived in the Chicago-land area from the last month of my 4th grade year until halfway through my senior year of high school. I then moved out and I've never really lived there since--just visited. If I could describe Chicago in one word, it would be gray. From about November until mid-March, Chicago becomes gray. It starts with the sky turning the same color as the road. Then, as winter progresses, everything else follows suit until the world has become black and white.

Whenever I go to Chicago, it makes me antsy to get back to Utah. Maybe it's not just the gray. In fact, I know it's not. It's the flat too. It kills me. I enjoy going back to Chicago to see certain people (like my family, and a couple of others), but normally try to avoid spending a lot of time there. I know what you're saying... "But the city! The diversity! You didn't take advantage of the great culture that Chicago has to offer!" Yes, you're right. I didn't. Big cities just don't seem to agree with me. It's depressing enough to be by oneself in a town, but to be by yourself when you're surrounded by millions of people is much more depressing. And I would like to point out that I did take advantage of the culture. I went to the museums, the thrift stores, some venues... Navy Pier... Taste of Chicago... other places... I even tried to make it downtown several times 4th of July so that I could watch the fireworks (actually, watching the resultant mess of over a million spectators on the Lakefront was the main reason to go, but the fireworks were great too). Secretly, I've always wanted to get in a fight--just once. No bottles or bricks or anything, it would have to be a honorable fist fight. We'd stop once one of us was obviously licked. Maybe we'd even shake hands or something at the end.

Anyway, I was in Chicago seeing my sister who just got back from living in Chile for 18 months as an LDS missionary. Since my family (well, my parents, everyone else is already going to be out in the western half of the US) will finally be moving to Utah this summer, that means that this was my final visit to my old home and to Chicago as a pseudo-home. Let's say goodbye...

Goodbye, house. I've mowed your lawn many many times. Remember when I fell off your roof and my elbow sheared the aluminum ladder rung in two? That's always made me feel like a tough guy.

Goodbye, desk. I never used you... Actually, I put my laptop on you once.

Goodbye, bed. Your southwestern decor comforter didn't really fit into the theme of the rest of the room. It didn't have a theme, but, if it did, it would be extreme sports posters. I am so extreme. Also, Weezer poster, I didn't like that album, and you're not extreme either.

Goodbye, posters. You're all so extreme. And Eagle Scout Award... you're pretty good too. I'll count you as extreme because I've hurt myself more in Scouts than I ever have in an extreme sport.

And goodbye, Chicago gray.

PS-That's my mom on the right. She still sends me off wherever I go with a lunch. She sent me off to the airport today with a lunch (with my name drawn all fancy on it), and I'm eating it now. Thanks, mom. You know, that whole lunch thing really used to bother me, but now I love it. At the risk of sounding mushy, I really really love my family. I'm really really glad my sister is back. It was so good to see her, it was like she never left. I wonder if it will be like that when we die. Also, I'm glad that, come this summer, I won't have to get on a plane to see my parents anymore. I'm especially glad because I'll be graduating from college just in time to help you break in the new home. You do want me to move back home again, right? RIGHT?