Doing the Tourist Thing

Did the holiday thing back in Indiana, and part of the deal was a tour of Chicago. My younger niece and family were in from Kansas City, and they had (she had, obviously, being from here) never been to Chicago. So, Friday we all went up to see the sights.

On the drive up, I was informed by my great-niece (my elder niece's daughter) that twerking was how babies were made. Women just kept on twerking until the baby popped out. I mentioned to my elder niece that perhaps it was time for The Talk. She informed me they had had The Talk, but that my great-niece just liked her version better. Okay fine. What happens when boys twerk, or do I want to know?

I don't.

So, the big deal was my younger niece's stepson (what do I call him, as they're not married but having a baby, so what's the status? I'll just call him the kid) had never been to the Sears Willis Tower. So, that was on the itinerary after we had done the Millennium Park/Mag Mile/ Chicago style pizza thing.

Which we did, and it was a huge amount of fun, but by the time we get down to the Sears Willis Tower, it's getting on close to sunset.

I should preface this story with the fact that the night before I had suggested we get advance tickets for the Sears Willis Tower skydeck. You can gain access to the skydeck for $18, or get the deluxe express dealio for $40. My brother calculating ten people @ $40 per put the kibosh on that idea.

So, when we get to the Sears Willis Tower, at near sunset, we are told it is a two and one half hour wait to get access to the skydeck. Fine, we say, give us tickets for the express. No problem, they say, that will be $89 per person. What? It's $40 online! Yes, advance tickets online are $40. Not when you show up.

Well, eff all that. So, the drive back, the kid is not going to let us forget that we went all the way to Chicago and he did not get to go to the top of the Sears Willis Tower.  And my niece informed me that he would remind them of this circumstance all the fucking way back to Kansas City, and then some.

So.... Saturday morning, early, my brother, niece's boyfriend/partner/almost-a-husband, and the kid drive up to the Sear Willis Tower, have a lot money extracted by getting pictures taken, souvenirs bought, etc. Kid is happy, my brother is the hero.

Of course, I know altruism is only a partial motivation. As the kid would not let it drop, shit rolls downhill and his daughter would never let it drop. These familial dysfunction things must be nipped in the bud.

There you go. I have nothing personal to report from all that. I'm thankful for being completely clueless about what goes on in my family. That's my Thanksgiving thankful thing.

Oh, wait. I did cast two glass pieces at the college over the holiday. I'm submitting them to Bullseye's Emerge show.

Here's some pics: