Chicago

So after 6 or 7 hours of driving we finally got to our hotel last Thursday for a relaxing night before our tournament started. We played at 3 and 5 the next day, losing both matches but learning a lot. Mary Ann was skeptical about signing us up for the tournament in the first place so we weren't expecting to come out champions. With all the new players, we just need some time to compete and figure each other out. I played back row the whole weekend, being libero for two games which was pretty fun. The first time I went in as libero I forgot that the they can just run straight onto the court without waiting for the refs to signal an okay. Forgetting, I stood waiting at the 10 foot line, wondering why the refs were being so slow and clueless. Teammates were trying to help me out but all I heard was loud noises accompanied by waving arms and anxious faces. I eventually got the point, only after everyone was well aware that I was in fact the clueless one.

The second day of playing we had matches at 11 and 1. We took the first team to 5 games, winning the first and third games but losing in the end. After our final game we went back to the hotel where we got ready to go into downtown, shopping and eating dinner on Michigan Ave. We have become famous for getting lost no matter where we go so of course, we ended up driving in circles for 20 minutes on our way to the train station where we took the subway into the city. Of all the trains I have ridden, this one was definitely the closest to falling off the tracks. Every few seconds it sounded like it was about to fall into pieces around us but it got us there somehow.

We all ran straight to the forever21 shop, a three story extravaganza for teens and young women. Turns out, the new style is baggy, burlap sack fitting clothing, not exactly my style and I walked out empty handed.

We went to dinner half a mile away at Dick's Last Resort. How can I put it into words. Their gimmick is being rude I think, crude, sex and poop jokes swarmed us once we stepped through the front door. Our table was right next to the house band, a collection of overweight mid-western musicians, lead by a woman adorned with jeweled rings and hairspray who over sang off-key. The table next to us started throwing napkins at us, apparently this was expected as the entire floor was covered in wadded up napkins. To top it off, our waiter made us each a hat, yet another gimmick of theirs, made of butcher paper decorated with a witty and rude statement. For example my hat said, "eats like a bird, poops like a man". Some others were "no gag reflex", "slept with the equipment manager", "fake blond, real stripper", "my mom does porn", "I pee in the shower...so what?" and "my farts kill horses". Of course our coach got the most inappropriate and offensive hat reading, "I've had more balls in my face than a circus seal" made complete with a drawing of a seal. Yes, we had a great time and by the time we were done eating it was 10:30 at night.

Unfortunately, on our walk back to the train station, we realized that our hats not only resembled condoms but kkk hats as well. This was made evident when some drunken guys yelled in encouragement of the kkk. Needless to say, the hats quickly came off.

Sunday was almost as eventful when we tried to get to church. Apparently, it was only 15 minutes away but 30 minutes later after getting lost and then having the road closed due to construction we decided to read the lesson on our own in a park. As if it was going too well, we sat next to a noisy fountain that blew mist onto us the whole time.

Once we finished a mom and four kids came to play at the fountain. A half-eaten donut had been sitting on the edge of the fountain and pretty soon I heard the mom's voice question, "Where did you get that?!" The little girl, about 2 years old in a little pink dress had cheeks stuffed with donut, and powdered sugar covering her mouth. She looked pretty content.

We're all back home safe and sound now in Elsah once again, only to leave again Friday morning for another weekend tournament 4.5 hours away. FUN FUN!