Tales from the Second City. Episode 5: Playing Catch-up.

Gol', it's been ages hasn't it? Yes it has. I'm not sorry though. This blog doesn't exist for your entertainment!...wait, what?.....it does?....Oh, excuse me. As I was saying, sorry for not posting. Now, let's get down to brass tacks.

First of all, women's fashion: You won't hear me say much on this topic, but there are some serious differences between West Coast women's fashion and Third-Largest-City-in-North-America Fashion. The most noticable to me is the prevalence of tall leather boots. They are usually brown, almost like a fashionable motorcycle boot. Sometimes they have a big heel and sometimes they are flat. They seem to follow a general aesthetic, though. They are generally accompannied by very tight denim jeans and a large, thick-knit sweater (like an Aran-style sweater). I don't know quite why this style sticks out to me. Maybe because it reminds me in some ways of women's fashion in Russia, where EVERYONE wears stiletto boots, mini-skirts, and some sort of European-style top and jacket. It's almost like the "Chicago" style is the mediator between this sort of uber-chic aesthetic and the way more laid-back West Coast look, which barely ever involves boots. I don't mean to stereotype (but I'm going to anyway), but pretty much every girl I know has worn a dress with blue jeans underneath at least once. I dunno. I think the Chicago look is pretty cool, personally.

Hockey!: Love it or hate it, it's a pretty alright sport. Would you rather be playing lawn darts?...I sure would. Anyway, a couple friends and I toddled on down to the United Center on Remembrance/Veterans Day to see the Blackhawks play the Detroit Redwings in perpetuate one of the old, storied rivalries of the NHL. Now I'm usually pretty skeptical of hockey that's not played in Canada, Boston, Long Island, or Minnesota, but this was a pretty darn good game of hockey. Lots of goals, some great passing, great saves by the goalies, and even a FIGHT! The atmosphere was by far the most entertaining aspect though. First off, Blackhawks fans HATE the Twins, apparently. I've never gotten so much stick for wearing a Twins hat in my life. Secondly, Blackhawks fans hate the Red Wings even more than the Twins. Throughout the game, the Chicago fans made sure that nobody overlooked the fac that Detroit did indeed suck. Also, because the game was on Veterans Day, the crowd cheered and clapped through the ENTIRE national anthem. I have never seen that before in my life...to be honest I never want to see it again, either. Hockey fans also get drunk a lot...more so than baseball fans, that's for sure. I couldn't answer for football fans (as I haven't been to a game since i was 10), but I would imagine they're just as bad. Anyway, all a good deal of fun and got to see some good hockey. Hurray!

The bikes are not doing so well. I have to fix a flat on my black bike (the fifth flat I've had to replace since I bought it...none of the flats are from punctured tires...they're ALL from potholes) so I've been riding my blue bike. Well, I rounded a corner and crashed by blue bike so now the front brakes are acting wierd. It still rides fine, but the front brakes need a slight adjustment. Annoying is the word I believe. I still say it's better than owning a car.

Anyway, I'm home for the next few days. Researching two things: the famine and supposed genocide that occured in Ukraine in 1932-33, and Negro League baseball in Chicago. Take a guess at which one is more interesting. Just guess.

Anyway, that's enough for now. Happy Thanksgiving. Ciao.