Planes, Trains and Automobiles

Anybody ever see that 1987 George Martin/John Candy flick? SO GOOD. My post has nothing to do with that movie, I have just been planing, training and automobiling with some spectacular company lately so there you have it.

For the last two weeks, Scott and I have been in Portland and Chicago and this is what I learned in a nutshell:

1. Its not where you go, it's who you're with.

I laughed so hard I cried for a week straight. I got zero sleep. . . . kinda-if you don't count sleeping in past 11 everyday. I was with the most genuine friends in Chicago. I literally could have been stuck with these people in a tiny town with nothing to do and would have enjoyed every second of it. . . .but fortunately we were in one of the funnest cities this fine country has to offer:)
  Emily- my always partner in crime, no questions asked no matter how crazy the plan may seem. She is pure FUN, always- I don't even wonder how she does a million things in a single day anymore. If you think just magically ending up at a private rooftop party at a cubs game with endless free booze and food is just crazy, well you haven't met Emily-she just makes magic happen. That's who she is and I'm glad she's there to just radiate her fun, effortless energy on me:)

Ray- He has the most inappropriate one liners at the most appropriate times and I consider him comedic relief ALWAYS. He was also my fellow encased meat enthusiast. . .  .so he's basically one of those people who gets the things that you don't think anyone else will get. Like in your head, you'll be thinking something you think is really funny but could be crossing a general social line . . or many, Ray would get it. His sense of humor is smart and a bit deviant and he doesn't even try--pretty lethal combination and it can make me laugh embarrassingly hard.
 

  Ruma & Mick-Ruma is the most dependable person when it comes to anything. She literally took a break from the funnest trip ever to help me straighten my hair. AND just happened to make it the funnest hair straightening experience ever-I will never straighten my hair again without wishing she had done it and longing for a peach vodka cocktail and wishing I was laughing my ass off with her in a room at the Sax Hotel in Chicago. She is just one of those friends who is your instant bud. We screamed random words to strangers on the street from our hotel room, laughing like hyenas until we were reprimanded. I could have held her hand just because I think she's so chick and cool-- but I'm not weird. Mick just brings this happy, easiness to everywhere he goes. Stressing is for losers. He makes everything COOL. He says a joke cool, he rides in a cab cool, he doesn't give a fuck cool, he drinks a beer cool. I mean he smiles with no tooth cool. He's just gangster. I felt cool just hanging around him. He really just does not give a shit what anyone thinks and he does it in the most genuinely kind way. How the hell does one do this? He literally was on the dance floor at Stanley's about 3 hours before anyone realized it was the only place to be. . . . .cool.


Sarah & Jared= PURE ENTERTAINMENT;) My favorite part about Sarah on this trip was how the humidity would curl her hair for her in the most beautiful, fantastic, gorgeous way. She would get so frustrated and say things like "guess it's a loss- my hair is not going to cooperate with the humidity." She's just extremely naive to how beautiful she is and that's why I like her. I would have strutted those curls. Still would if I could. Sarah would take a dull moment (like when our iphones ran out of batteries-- UNTHINKABLE) and just make it fun. We were obsessed and rightfully so with this "Heads Up" app and when we thought our night had come to an end, Sarah rescued us with a game of her own. Jared is a fun amplifier.  That's the best way I can describe him. If you think it's impossible to have more fun, he will still be able to contribute. I think when you're on a trip and within such close proximity to your friends for days on end, you inevitably see the worst in people. That just didn't happen here and I never saw a frown on his face. Never.

Scooter
Scott is the raddest best friend I have ever had. He is charismatic in the situations that I am awkward. He is calm, like ALWAYS. He's just everything that I am lacking. He has a brilliant sense of humor and traveling with him is always so fun. He just always happens to find the locals' cool haunts and the best EVERYTHING I've ever tasted. He'll just say, oh here is the best cinnamon roll joint all nonchalantly and it will just BLOW YOUR EFFIN MIND. He just has an intuition and he's been everywhere. He's just a good life tour guide so I'm pretty stoked he's mine.

2. Go big, or go home. . . .pertaining to life in general. If you can buy one mimosa and one bloody mary or you can buy bottomless of both and enjoy the people your with for a 3 hour breakfast, then do. I know trips in general tend to be leisurely, but really, if I'm honest with myself, I realize that I can unintentionally get overwhelmed with time frames and being to all the "cool places" and the "must sees". I realized that just sitting with my friends, enjoying each other, and going big with 25 mimosa refills was not what anyone had planned that day but it was definitely better than anyone could have ever planned for me.

3. Drink enough beer . . . . . to karaoke that is.
I mean this in a literal way . . . and a figurative way. I don't karaoke. I just don't. I'm not trying to be snobby or "better" in anyway. It's quite the opposite actually--I just have an atrocious singing voice and I don't want to subject anyone to that, and I'm not brave, and I'm self conscious, etc. . . . .but in Chicago I just caught the fever. I mean it was LIVE BAND karaoke and Scott had signed up with our (actually talented) friend Jackson and he had to leave(after they had legit brought down the house with a sublime CLASSIC;)-- and so it was, with little convincing, I got up and belted out Livin on a Prayer by Bon Jovi with the worst voice ever and only barely knowing the chorus. Do something that gives you the butterflies and makes you look like an absolute fool. Do it with someone you love and rock it--I mean going back to lesson #2, go big or go home. I had a fucking BLAST and danced my ass off until the lights went out and a police officer politely asked Scott, Mick, Ruma, and I to leave. Really, just do something you wouldn't normally do-just try it. Go to a new class, try a new route, call an old friend. Who cares?

 At Stanley's, you can sign the walls of the bar and so if and when any of the 10 in our epic dance/karaoke party return, I will seek out our names that I so proudly wrote on the wall(apparently for children's eyes) as I was being ushered out/ forced out against my will:)

BREWFEST:

At the beginning of the trip, we predicted(jokingly, but with a quick chuckle and then zero eye contact because it could happen:) that we would hate each other by the end. Fortunately for me. . .and everyone-I hope, it was just the opposite. I couldn't have imagined anyone else. I will never forget it and as I get older, I treasure these sorts of trips and can't help but think "this could be the last trip like this." I don't blame anyone, life happens. I just hope I always make a way or find the time and money to prioritize friends. When we get older, we "can't take work off", "getting too busy", "can't afford", or "we're pregnant!" and then it's difficult to just drop everything and party on the platform with your buds while you wait for the train into the city.