After four days of hectic moving madness, the clan settled in for its first night in the new house on Sunday. The DirectTV was humming in the rec room for Sunday night football. Carter had his first bath in the new tub with only one breakdown. And our boxer Roxy was pooped from running around in her new yard.
By far the starkest reminder that I was now living in the suburbs and not in the bustling city of Chicago was when I took Roxy for her last walk of the night. It was dead silent.
No highway noise could be heard. There were no noises emanating from nearby bars and restaurants. There wasn’t a lot of light either. The sky was clear. There was no traffic. Not even a single car went by.
Now, the 70 minute commute this morning wasn’t quite as tranquil, but hopefully with construction ending soon it’ll be a little better than that most days. I think we just have to get used to enjoying music and not worrying about bumper to bumper traffic.
Most of my friends and co-workers know I enjoy Guitar Hero a bit too much for a 30-something father of two. But it is one of the few games I actually enjoy these days that relaxes me. And I'll admit seeing Ozzy Osbourne in video game form is kind of fun.
However, I'm not so sure of the latest game, Guitar Hero 5, resurrecting Kurt Cobain to play "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and "Lithium."
It seems weird and almost sacrilegious for me to be playing those songs AS Cobain. We've been able to call artists sellouts for many different reasons over the years, but this latest version of commercialization is even stranger because of the interaction involved. Is this how kids are going to learn about Nirvana first?
Now that I’ve detailed the few things I’ve liked living in the city of Chicago the past seven years, here’s a list of all the things I won’t miss. Be warned, this list is much longer. Noise Whether it’s the garbage trucks at 6 a.m., drunk people at 2 a.m., parties next door, the neighbors above us stomping around or random dogs barking outside, the sounds of the city will not be missed. I’m not even talking about the proximity to the highway or the fire engines, those noises are much easier to adjust to than the others.
We’re heading out to the burbs for good come the end of the week and I thought it a good time to reminisce about our seven years of living in the city of Chicago (ten for Courtney).
All the restaurants Whether it’s a trendy new gastro pub or just good Thai and Chinese takeout, it’ll be hard to find so many choices in the Suburbs. We’ll have to really do our research.
Last night Pearl Jam put on one of their best performances since hitting the 21st century. After seeing dozens of shows I have a pretty good ear for these things, and while most of my family would doubt it, I can be objective and rate a poor showing by the band. It was a surreal type of show too.
The morning of the show I learned my grandmother passed away. She was a very unique woman who I spent a lot of time with as a child. Being a Pearl Jam fanatic I thought that there would no better way to get cheered up than seeing the band live so of course I still went to the show. Opening with Long Road, Corduroy, Why Go and God’s Dice I couldn’t help not thinking of her since the songs deal a lot with death.
Eddie Vedder said before the first chord of Long Road was struck that “We’ll be dealing with a lot of emotions tonight.” Only this morning did I learn that a close friend of the band from Chicago had recently passed away and there was no coincidence that I was connecting to the song selection, the band was coming from a similar place.
Sure, we just closed on a new house, have to move our lives 20 miles away over the next week, have to find a new nanny and hopefully get some sleep from a restless three-month-old. But in the middle of all that is Pearl Jam.
The band is coming back to Chicago for two shows Sunday and Monday night. Courtney’s going with me Sunday and then I’ll be going to the show with a co-worker on Monday. Courtney just can’t go two nights with a near-midnight bedtime. Did I mention our restless daughter who likes to give us fits at night?
The band completed a short European jaunt of four shows and the setlists were short of amazing so I’m expecting a lot this time around. Check back for full reviews next week as I get to flex my old music journo skills once again.
I did another dad-centric car review over on KickingTires. Check it out here. The redesigned Subaru Legacy is really much bigger than before. If I needed an all-wheel drive sedan there isn’t a better choice. If you don’t care about foul weather there are tons of competitors though that I’d say take a look at.
If you’re thinking of buying one and have a question for me just post it in the comments below.
While baby Evie keeps our sleep to around five solid hours a night, Courtney and I have a busy month or so ahead of us.
Next week we close on our new house…knock on wood. Then the painter, blinds and some various handywork get to work. The movers pack up the kitchen on the 27th and the move is set for the 28th.
But in between the mighty Pearl Jam plays two nights in Chicago and Courtney says she can only go to one with me – I have fan club tickets of course – since the baby is sapping her sleeptime.
So, please bare with me as I might not be blogging as much. But I will try to add some good tidbits from the Air & Water show this weekend as they tend to buzz the Bucktown condo we’re renting.
We've been trying Carter how to clap for months. No matter what we tried he reverted to simply slapping his palms against his chest instead.
Saturday, after dinner we were wiped out from a long day of full-time parenting and snapped on the tv. We don't do it often but Jeopardy was on and Courtney and I rarely get to see a game show. It ended and we were getting ready for bath and bed time. Then Pat Sajak and Vanna White walk out.
The contestants start clapping as the wheel spins. Carter instantly starts clapping along...properly!
We're stunned. Yet he continues even lifting both hands over his head and clapping. I know everyone says TV is bad for kids but it taught my son how go clap. It can't be all bad.
Having just become a dad a year and a half ago I hadn't been to a pediatric dentist for about, oh 22 years or so give or take.
I didn't know today's dentists shoot a photo to commemorate the event. I guess it's a great thing for families, a memento for sure. Was I expecting it? No. But it was sweet.
My normally "ham it up for the camera" son however had other ideas. The result though was hilarious. Sure, Carter reacts like this many a time throughout the day, but when someone pulls out a camera the boy literally flashes a smile and poses. That's why this is even funnier than at first glance. Which I have to say is pretty darn funny.
