I Love Chicago

I am currently trying to trick my body to get back into GMT +9 hours time. Right now it is somewhere in between GMT + 9 hours and GMT -6 hours and +9 hours, which puts me somewhere in Europe I think. Hey maybe I should stay where I there. So if you haven't heard or figured it out by the title of the post, then you may be a little daft, I am currently in Chicago (actually in Buffalo Grove).

Why am I in Chi?

Well, it all started at 10 am on Thursday GMT +9 hours when I departed Misawa Airport to Haneda Airport (1 hr 20 min) and then transferred to Narita Airport via Airport bus, about an hour ride (both airports are in Tokyo). Then I flew for about 12 hours 15 minutes to Atalanta Airport, having watched one episode of the Office, half an episode of Pushing Daisies, The Incredible Hulk, Diminished Capacity, Journey to the Center of the Earth (having forgone Hancock and Indiana Jones and Momma Mia since Em wants to see those) and finishing Brisinger (my latest book, yes Cosmina it was about a Dragon!) and I took a nap for an unknown # of hours. At which point I went through customs and boarded a new flight to Chicago O'Hare. I then found myself riding in a taxi to my hotel. So I left my house at 9 am and arrived at about 7:30 pm, which is only a short 11.5 hours, until one adds on the 15 hours time zone difference and one sees that one has been traveling for 26.5 hours!!!

Why did I do all this?

So I could fight jet lag during a two day AAPD (American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry) Dental Trauma Symposium. (I did pretty well staying awake too, better than during residency.) It was a conference I had been dreaming to go to and was lucky to be approved by my Dental Squadron Commander to attend. The best part though was being able to hang out with my buddy Matt G. from residency. The conference was good. Most of it was a review of what I already knew but I did learn how to transplant a immature premolar to the position of a missing front tooth as well decoronate (cut off the crown of a tooth) in order to preserve bone height. (Feel free to go back and skip that last sentence or two.) Some cool techniques that I knew about but had no clue how to do. So now I need to wait for a kid to need some of these cool techniques and hope at the same time that my poor patients won't traumatize their teeth. What a paradox I live in!

I did get to make a trip to Costco, after which I realized why we have been able to save a lot more money now that there is no Costco/target/walmart nearby! It did feel nice to be there again! I love you Kirtland Signature!!! I got to eat a lot of yummy American (and Mexican food too while I was there. The best part of the trip was that I got to see Dave, my brother, and his family. Especially their cute little/huge daughter. She loves me know!!!!! They picked me up after my conference and after driving around such an awesome city, took me to a yum yum Mexican restaurant, That Little Mexican Cafe. They make fresh guacamole table side!! Nice!

So there you have it. It's almost 1 am GMT -6. Time to check Sports center and read a bit more and then take a power nap (still trying to trick my body). Whereupon we will patron the best breakfast place I've ever frequented, Wildberry and then its off to Tokyo. If you ever come to Chicago GO THERE!!! I'm overnighting in Tokyo and will try to find the Tokyo temple and also tour the imperial gardens. I'm doing a little reconnoitering for future trips to Tokyo.

Synopses: Chicago rocks, I love visiting this city. It has jsut an amazing feel being out on its streets. However, I think I'm over America. I don't think I miss it as much as I thought. You are great and all, but I can't wait to get back HOME!!! (It was wicked awesome to see my family and some friends though, can't take away from that.) I miss my kiddos and my gracious adorable Wifey.

P.S. There will be more blogs to come. I plan on writing a couple while I'm over the Pacific Ocean. Plus there is an awesome Chicago picture I need to download when I'm back to Misawa!

P.S.S. My sis-in-law has the coolest print of Chicago. It's from Ork Posters. It shows all the neighborhoods of Chicago.

Chicago

This past weekend I spent in the beautiful city of Chicago. I had a dental conference there and got to stay with Dave, Laura, and Eden. I hadn't seen them for almost 3 years. They treated me very graciously. They have a very cute apartment, decorated nicely and modern (Way to go Laura). I was privileged to be in the home of such a famous blogger! They even took me to one of the best breakfast places I have ever been to for lunch. (See side bar for my favorite dish).

My conference was as good and exciting as can be expected from pediatric dentists and endodontists. What I really enjoyed was walking around Chicago (and I walked a lot). I took the train down from the Dub's and then walked 30 min to the conference both days. When I got back off the train yesterday, and still today, my calves were sore and cramped!

Chicago is a beautiful clean city. Walking the streets, seeing the tall buildings, cool architecture, all the bridges and river, and lots of people filled me with an energizing excitement. There's so much going on, so much energy in the air. While walking around the city and figuring out the transportation, I had to ask quite a few people for directions and help. Everyone of them was kind and helpful. It may not have been a large sample size but it seemed to me, Chicagoans are nice friendly people.

Dave hooked us up with tickets to the Bulls opening game. We were in an executive suite for his company. That was awesome! Dave and I were huge Bulls fans growing up. His rooms was plastered with Jordan posters, magazine cut outs and every other "Shop" project in junior high was Bulls related. I think I made at least 20 Bulls insignias, wood and plexiglas!

I also spent the afternoon after my conference Saturday touring the Art Institute of Chicago. It was a very nice art museum. I loved the Monets, my favorite. Renoir was very stricking to me as were some others I hadn't heard of: Gustave Caillebotte, Camille Pissarro, and Henri de Toulouse Lautrec. Impressionist Art seems to be my favorite. There were also some awesome van Goghs and Degas.

It has been an excellant trip. I only wish I had Em with me!!

Thanks Dubs. You rock!!