Hat Doo-ugs

This past week I was in Chicago on a business trip. The BlueCross BlueShield Association held a two day quasi-training session on an I/T project they are mandating for all licensees. South Carolina sent two representatives of which I was one.

I believe I have been to Chicago once during middle school but I barely remember it. I think I recall a boat ride from the Navy Pier and dinner at Pizzeria Uno.

This trip we caught a Cubs game (they lost in extra innings), ate at Weber Grille, and walked around downtown, marveling at skyscrapers, high-rises, and expensive cars. The weather was beautiful (far from the summer storms of Carolina) with the exception of Tuesday night at Wrigley Field where I nearly froze in my short sleeves and shorts at a breezy 65 degree baseball game. My BlueCross associate and I had a good chuckle over the vending guys marching up and down the stands. Apparently "hat doo-ugs" (three syllables) is Chicagoan for "hot dogs." Another related funny moment was actually at our conference where a BlueCross Association employee told us over small talk that we had no southern accents. I have no idea what he was thinking.

Another highlight of the trip for me was the opportunity to meet up with Chris Cox (from ye olde Furman days) for pizza and a night on the town. He took us to a local deep dish joint (and I mean deep... me and my appetite could only handle one and a half pieces... and painfully at that!) and a tour of downtown sans-rail. Man I could never get used to riding those trains... so slow and uncomfortable - not to mention I had the urge to bathe in Purell every stop!

All in all it was a good trip, but I really missed the girls... never before have I noticed children on a trip so much. They were everywhere and I was not able to tuck my own in. Man... times have changed!

One interesting side story from the trip is that we managed to arrive in Chicago at the same time as the cicada swarm. Since they only show up once in seventeen years and for one month only, I guess that is all the more evidence to me that I'll never win the lottery - I've beaten the odds on all the piddly chances.

Glad to be back home,


- Scott