Chicago - The Gus Godbee Wedding Experience

Now that I'm back in the comparatively balmy weather of South Carolina, I've had time to reflect on my recent trip to the frigid sprawl of Chicago. Being from the Dirty South, I was surprised at my tolerance of the cold. That's not to say that I didn't freeze my ass off. I did. But it was worth braving the cold to spend time with my friends, even if one of them soiled some of my clothes (sorry Ben).

We left Athens around midnight on Thursday and headed to Atlanta to pick up Roger and Sam, two of Gus's friends from Decatur. After picking them up at the BP at Windy Hill Road we began our northerly trek.

When we got to Chattanooga I decided to drive. I was lucky enough to drive through the mountainous part of I-24. Lucky for me it was raining the entire time on this stretch of road. Once we got to Kentucky I gladly switched with Laura and napped until we reached Louisville.

I continued napping through Indiana until we reached Indianapolis. I wanted to be awake to see its skyline. North of Indianapolis was more of the same, snow-covered barren corn fields. When we filled up for gas again I chose to drive into Chicago. We were surprised at the cost of the toll road into Chicago. For almost six dollars for twenty miles, you'd figure the toll road would be pristine, but it was some of the worst road conditions I've ever driven on.

Regardless, seeing the skyline of Chicago was breathtaking. I knew it was a big city, but I was amazed at just how big it really was. I marveled at how awesome the human race really is. For being such an inhospitable environment during the winter, we chose to build a massive city and make it a global landmark. It's a testament to the human spirit.

Back to the boring narrative.

Coming into the city was cool. We hopped on the Dan Ryan Expressway and came into Chicago from the south. We saw U.S. Cellular Field, home of the Chicago White Sox. I love seeing any type of sports stadiums. I relish the pageantry of sport. We exited at Ohio St. and sat in lunch-hour traffic and finally made it to the Red Roof Inn on E. Ontario St. We unloaded the van, checked into the hotel, relaxed in the room for a few minutes, and then headed off to find some famous Chicago deep dish pizza.


Well, we didn't have to travel far, and thank God. I think the temperature at the time was a warm 25 degrees. We decided to eat at Pizzeria Uno. The atmosphere inside the restaurant was quaint. The proprietors of that establishment were able to fit a lot of people in such a small space. Anyway, we ordered two pizzas and had our fill. By the time we finished Gus and Melissa showed up along with some of their family. We chatted for a few minutes and then headed back to the hotel. On the way back we stopped at Trader Joes for some cheap bottles of wine. Once back at the hotel we were all pretty tired so we napped for a couple of hours.

Once we awoke from our slumbers, Ben, Laura, Alan, and myself decided to explore some of the city. We headed up Michigan Ave, AKA, the Magnificent Mile. The street side trees were illuminated with Christmas lights which provided for a nice walk to the Hancock Building. Rather than pay the steep price to go to the observation deck, we elected to have some drinks at The Signature Room on the 96th floor. We were fortunate enough to get a window table overlooking the south and west sides of the city. What a sight! I felt quite erudite, sipping my Long Island Iced Tea with three of my friends and commiserating with the Chicago elite.


After we finished our drinks, we descending to street level and headed toward the Navy Pier. It was an icy walk along Lakeshore Drive towards the pier. The Navy Pier is certainly geared for tourists, with its shops, carnival rides, and gimmicky attractions. However, it did provide for an excellent skyline vista. Jason met up with us here but we were done so we headed back to the hotel.

After sitting around for a while Gus met up with us and we went out for some drinks. I can’t remember the name of the first bar but it had an Irish flare. Tequila seems to be a popular drink in Chicago. This particular bar had every brand of tequila available. While sitting around we noticed this well-dressed man getting belligerent with his special lady friend. Finally they left after some persuasion by some of the bar staff. We left soon after that and headed to another Irish bar on Rush St. We satiated our appetites, downed a few more drinks, and headed back to the hotel. It was a cold walk back and we passed out from travel exhaustion once we arrived in our rooms.

The next day started off later than expected since we all slept in. For lunch we headed to Su Casa, a Mexican restaurant owned by the same proprietors of Pizzeria Uno. Just like the pizza it didn’t disappoint. To top it off we had some excellent flan. Afterwards more wine was purchased at Trader Joes and then we headed to the Talbott Hotel so the groomsmen could make sure their tuxedos fit. Alan had a little trouble with his vest since it was three or four sizes too small. Jason, Laura and I didn’t stay long since we wanted to go to the Field Museum. We hopped in a cab and were on our way. The cab ride went down Lakeshore Drive and through Grant Park. I was amazed the whole time. I love driving through new cities and viewing the skyline. I also pondered what it must have been like to stand in Grant Park on Election Day, listening to Barack Obama speak of the monumental change coming to America. I wish I could’ve witnessed it firsthand.


We didn’t have long in the Field Museum so we decided to walk through the dinosaur exhibit. It brought back memories of my childhood when I used to know all the names of the dinosaurs and had all kinds of dinosaur toys. I loved them then and I still find them fascinating. It’s hard to fathom how much our planet has changed in its geologically short history. After our foray into the past we left the museum and hailed a cab on Michigan Ave.

What happened in the cab ride back went something like this.

Cab stops at a traffic light, but ends up stopping in the pedestrian crosswalk.
Crossing guard: “Get out of the crosswalk! Get out of the crosswalk you goddamn moron!”
Cab driver” What do you want me to do, park in the intersection?”
Crossing guard: “Get out of the fucking crosswalk!”
Cabbie: “Fuck you asshole!”
Crossing guard: “Fuck you! I’m writing you a ticket!”
Cabbie: “Fuck you asshole! I don’t care!”
Crossing guard: “Well, the city of Chicago doesn’t care either!”
Cabbie: “Fuck you asshole!”

The crossing guard proceeds to the back of the cab to write down the license plate number. When the light turns green the cab driver pulls away as a final f you to the crossing guard. The entire time he talked on his cell phone in some foreign language, peppering in a “fucking asshole” every once in a while. What an awesome taxi experience!

When we arrived at the hotel we told everyone about the cab ride. After those in the wedding party left for the rehearsal Jason and I hung around the hotel until the rehearsal dinner began. Once we received word that the rehearsal was over Jason, Sam, and I headed to Buca de Beppo, an awesome Sicilian restaurant. We ended up being the first ones there so we got drinks and anxiously awaited the arrival of everyone else.


The dinner was incredible. The salad and garlic bread were great. The pasta with mussels, spicy sausage pasta, and chicken alfredo were delicious. The wine was good. All in all, a great dining experience. The groomsmen and ushers received personalized flasks while the bridesmaids received gloves. Ben had lots of fun at the dinner; so much so that he excessively dry-humped Melissa. I’m sure her dad appreciated the gesture.

Afterwards Ben and others headed back to the hotel to drop of some things while the rest of us headed to Howl at the Moon, a dueling piano barn. There was a great vibe in the bar and the music was great. We drank many buckets of Long Island Iced Teas. When we got back to the hotel I went to open the door when I discovered that it was blocked. After some coaxing I found Ben passed out in front of the hallway door and the bathroom door. Come to find out Ben had pissed himself. It was all over his pants and shirt. Actually, it was all over MY PANTS AND SHIRT! He forgot to pack rehearsal clothes but lucky for him I packed extra dress clothes. Lucky for me he urinated all over them! I’m not mad about it. I thought it was quite funny. At the time he didn’t think it was. He became quite angry and started lashing out. He finally calmed down and we all went to sleep.


Laura had to get up early to get her hair, makeup, etc. done. Around 11 Jason, Sam, and myself took a taxi to Wrigleyville to see historical Wrigley Field. A slight snow was falling as we arrived. I was in awe at how awesome Wrigley Field is. It is one of the hallowed temples of baseballdom. I would love to attend a game there one day. We walked down Waveland Ave. and around the entire stadium. I got pictures of the Harry Caray statue, the Ernie Banks statue, and the famous Wrigley Field marquee. Afterwards we went to this small bar for lunch. The sandwiches there were quite delicious. Instead of putting the french fries on the side they put them inside the sandwich. Different, but good.


We headed back to the hotel and changed. We then walked to Holy Name Cathedral on State St. This cathedral was the site of some violent gang activity involving the notorious Al Capone during the 1920s. It is a beautiful cathedral. My parents would have loved it. The ceremony was nice as well. After the wedding Sam and I hopped on the charter bus headed to the reception hall.

The reception hall was about 45 minutes outside of Chicago. There wasn't anything very intriguing about the reception. Just the usual post-wedding festivities. They had a live band which was cool. Manny got good and drunk before dinner was served. Some guy at my table wanted to blame the Georgia contingent for not delivering Georgia for Barack Obama. He apparently has never been to the South. Otherwise he would understand why it is so conservative. I had a great time with all of my friends and got plenty of good pictures to boot. The Party Boy made an appearance as usual. After the reception I was fortunate enough to ride back to the city on the "Party Bus", the bus the wedding party traveled in. I had a grand time drinking spiked egg nog and bobbing my head to rap standards. We unloaded at the Talbott and made the trek back to the Red Roof, ready to get some sleep.

We left Chicago before lunch time. I was designated as the driver out of the city. I like driving in cities so I didn't mind. We had to pack a huge suitcase full of gifts and Melissa's wedding dress in the van. The dress made getting in and out of the van an issue since it took up half of one seat. We stopped at a Bob Evans in Merrillville, IN to eat. I drove almost the entire length of Indiana until I could barely keep my eyes open. Once I switched I couldn't sleep. That's usually how it works with me. Oh well. I enjoy looking out the window at the passing scenery.

We made it back to Athens well after midnight. The next morning I headed back to Gainesville to get Mona and then I departed for Florence. I had a wonderful time!

Lessons learned from the Chicago road trip:
1. Conversion vans are uncomfortable, but economical.
2. I enjoy driving through big cities at night.
3. Chicago is really big!
4. Don't let Ben borrow clothes!
5. Chicago is really cold!
6. Make the most of the time you have in a new place.
7. Walk the streets to get a better feel of your surroundings.
8. Cherish time spent with your friends. It is time well spent.

A Gainesville Thanksgiving Reality Check

So I'm in Gainesville for Thanksgiving. It's good to see my family again.

I got to my parents' house around 11 P.M. on Wednesday. I was pretty tired and so were they so we went to bed soon after I arrived.

Today was eventful. This morning we went to the John Paul II Mission off of Atlanta Highway in Gainesville. The mission is in the middle of the Hispanic part of town. This area is a very poor area, with run down houses and trailers everywhere. Anyway we brought food and drinks to the mission and helped serve the needy folks who otherwise would not have had a Thanksgiving meal. It was pretty gratifying and it helped realign my perspective. You don't know how good you have it until you see people who don't have much at all. I'm glad I decided to go and help. There were many smiling faces when we left.

We ate our own Thanksgiving meal when we got back to the house. My mom had to work today so we ate early. The meal was excellent as usual. Afterwards my Dad and I tried to watch the Lions-Titans game, but it was such a blowout that we decided to play dominoes instead. I put some music on and rolled the bones onto the floor. Midway through our game my grandfather shows up unannounced. I've never been close to him but it was good to see him. Unfortunately my mom wasn't here to see him. He didn't stay very long since he's been feeling bad lately.

After he left my dad and I finished our game. He ended up winning this round. I then took Mona for a walk and decided to call Casey. I talked with her for a while then hit the baseball with my brother and sister. They were amazed at how far I could hit the ball. It's nice to be the big brother that can impress them. Honestly, I had fun playing with them.

I've got to change the brakes on my car tomorrow. I may have to get one of the rotors turned since the metal from the brake calipers has been scraping on it. Hopefully it won't need to be replaced. Tomorrow night I'm heading to Athens to see the crew and go to the Tech game. Hopefully the winning streak will continue.

I'm listening to Because of the Times by Kings of Leon. I would say it's their best album. Then again, they haven't made a poor album to date.

Criminality

The following happened last week. I meant to blog about it that day but totally forgot.

Ryan and I were driving through Camden, SC on Tuesday. We were on US 521 in the middle of town. Suddenly an unmarked police SUV pulls out about 50 yards in front of our truck. About three seconds later I see a man running from around a house with two police officers chasing him, guns drawn. They proceed to run down the embankment and into the road. The perpetrator runs into the SUV and falls to the ground directly beside my truck. He tries to get up but is kneed in the back by one of the cops. At this point the chase is over.

I haven't felt that much adrenaline pump through my body in quite some time. When I saw the criminal running towards the road I was thinking I should either hit him with my truck or stop entirely. Of course I did neither of those things. Then I thought about what I was going to do if he attempted to enter my truck. Was I going to be able to fight him off? Was he going to draw a weapon on me? Fortunately, nothing happened to Ryan or myself.

If you're looking for excitement, go to Camden on a Tuesday afternoon.

Happiness is a Warm Gun

I've been meaning to blog about quite a number of things since the last post but I just haven't found the time. Now that I've finished the panel of plots for the year I've got more time to devote to other things.

My parents came to North Myrtle Beach a few weeks ago for vacation. On the way there they stopped to see me in Florence. The really liked my house and my siblings were stoked to play my roommate's Wii. We went to dinner and then they were on their way.

On Wednesday, I took the day off from work and drove down to spend the day with them. The condo they were staying in was very nice and right on the water. We headed to Wilmington, NC and spent the afternoon touring this old battleship and the downtown area. Wilmington is a very quaint town that I thoroughly enjoyed.

When we got back we spent some time walking on the beach. My brother and sister spent their time looking for seashells since it was their first time at the beach. I spent my time looking out to the horizon thinking about nothing in particular. I left around 6:30 to go on my second date with Casey.

Casey is a wonderful person. We met on this free online dating website (it's not as weird as you think) and on our first date we went to a Halloween gala at Broadway at the Beach. We had a great time. She is originally from St. Louis, MO and just recently moved to Surfside Beach. She has her master's degree in Information Systems (or something like that) and works in the research department at the library of Coastal Carolina University. She's a few years older than I am which is fine with me.

Anyway, for our second date we went to this hibachi restaurant in Myrtle Beach. Then we went to this bar and spent the next few hours talking and such. Nothing spectacular, but she captivated my attention for the duration. She provoked me into conversation and it came easily for me, which is good since most of the time I have trouble verbalizing thoughts. We said our goodbyes and planned on seeing each other the next weekend.

Well, as the weekend approached, the plans kept changing. First we were going to go to a comedy club. Then we were going to do a cheap date with pizza and a night at the skating rink. Then we were going to take a day trip to Charleston or Wilmington. We finally settled on the third option. I went to see Quantum of Solace on Friday and after the movie was over she called and wanted to change plans again. Now were going to Wilmington and getting a hotel room for the evening. Crazy I know. I said that was fine and we decided to meet in Wilmington rather than driving together.

Driving there was awful. It rained the entire time and I could barely see. She got lost and ended up being over an hour late. Normally I would flip my shit over this since I hate people being late but I figured it wasn't a big deal since she actually had reciprocal feelings for me.

To make a long story short, Wilmington was fantastic. We had a fun night on the town. I haven't felt this way about someone in a very long time. Hopefully this will amount to something.

She's coming to Florence to hang out with me this weekend. I'm very excited. We're going to go to Lynches River Park and probably watch movies. It's going to be low key but I think it will be good. For once, the optimist in me is defeating the pessimist. Let's hope it stays that way.

Enough about my love life.

I'm excited to be coming home next week for Thanksgiving and the GA Tech game. I haven't seen my Athens friends in over a month and I miss them. It will be nice hanging with them. Hopefully I'll get a ticket for the game. Also, I can't wait for Chicago. I've been anticipating the trip for quite some time. It will be exciting riding in a conversion van with all of my old college buddies all the way to Chicago. Plus, it'll be my first time going to Illinois. I'll be able to mark one more state off the list.

Good Fortunes in Red Stick

All the pundits and all my friends can go ahead with the "I told you so's". I never predicted Georgia to go to Baton Rouge and beat LSU the way they did. I expected a loss.

The game started out well. Darryl Gamble had a pick six on the first play from scrimmage. He bookended the scoring with another pick six in the fourth quarter. Knowsh and Fats Stafford both played exceptionally well. I hope this level of play translates into another exciting game next week in Jacksonville. I always hate how that game has huge billing before each season starts. But every year it has huge implications for both teams. I know Florida hasn't forgotten the endzone celebration from last year. In Urban Meyer's new biography (which is at the top of my reading list) he says, "It was a bad deal. It will forever be in the mind of Urban Meyer and in the mind of our football team. We'll handle it and it's going to be a big deal." I wasn't a fan of the celebration. But sometimes you have to do something to spark your team. I also love how Urban Meyer refers to Urban Meyer in the third person. What a douche.

Yes, I'm a naysayer. But I love it when the Dawgs prove me wrong and play up to their level. Hopefully it carries over to to the Cocktail Party. To all my friends who are going: Cheer extra for me!

Upgrading my wardrobe

I received my new kicks in the mail yesterday. I was surprised at how fast they were delivered. I bought them on Thursday and got them on Friday. Awesome!

I also bought some jeans at Old Navy. Of all the jeans I've worn, theirs are the most comfortable.

The First Chapter

So I've decided to start a blog. Hopefully it won't become a futile exercise. I also hope it won't be too drab.

It's raining today but luckily I was able to finish a non-forest plot I had outside of Nichols before it started. The plot fell in this soybean field and afterwords it left a bad taste in my mouth. The crop was not harvested. It was just left to rot. This incenses me. I guess the farmer was given a subsidy by the government to not harvest his crop. I don't know enough about subsidies to go into a full tirade but I think that there is a better use for the land. If that farmer is not going to harvest his/her crops on that field, than why not plant trees instead? He could enter into the Conservation Reserve Program and get subsidies through it. Carbon sequestration markets are becoming en vogue. He could do that and also be helping to clean up the atmosphere.

You see, as plants grow, they produce glucose through photosynthesis. They take carbon dioxide and make sugar. The by-products are oxygen and water. As trees continue to grow and add volume, that sugar is stored in the cells of the tree. The carbon that was used to make sugar is taken out of the atmosphere and stored as biomass. New laws are being passed that would provide tax credits and subsidies for those who decide to plant trees for carbon sequestration. In turn, they promise not to harvest the trees for pulp or timber or whatever else. The farmer could also earn extra income through hunting leases. I know that this market is years away from taking off but I hope that it will and that more land being used for idle crop production will revert back to forest. One can only hope.

It's surprisingly quiet at the library today. Usually phones are going off or people are talking above a whisper. Not today. Maybe the rain has dampened everyone's spirits.

I'm nervous about the UGA/LSU game tomorrow. I don't think that the Dawgs will win. Baton Rouge is a tough place to play and the Dawgs are very bi-polar. If they don't win then any championship implications can be forgotten. With Florida looming in the foreground it will be tough for the Dawgs to win the SEC East if they lose to LSU and Florida. Let's hope for a better outcome.