Seriously, I only went downtown like twice this summer

I would like to put an issue to rest that has been keeping me from doing my physics homework for the past two hours.  The other night I met some people at a movie at my school in Iowa. I told them I was from the Chicago suburbs. Then one guy, who is from Hawaii (why anyone would go from Hawaii to Iowa, I don't know), said he was disappointed that I don't have a Chicago accent.

So for the past two hours I have been researching, i.e googling "Chicago accent," just to figure out what it is. That didn't go so well because the people who described the Chicago accent had it very exaggerated, and I know I'm not from the city, I'm from the suburbs, but I've never heard anyone talk like they do in that one SNL skit- which multiple people cited in their websites of how to talk like a Chicagoan.

Most of my research was all over the place though. Even the Chicagoans were arguing! So, I guess even with people who are from the city, some people talk weird and some people don't.

Of course, the next step, before I could go on to my physics homework, was to figure out if I have any sort of accent. This was all settle with a quiz I found on the Internet (and you know that everything on the Internet is true and people who did the quiz on the Internet said it worked- ignore the circular reasoning). The quiz said I have a neutral accent (though I've been told [and been told I mean made fun of] that I say "bagel" weird.)

Anyways, here's a good article about talking like a Chicago local. The slang is where it's at. Some of their things I say and some I don't, but seriously other people don't call them gym shoes?! That one threw me.

Well, I guess I ought to do homework now. I also need to get groceries soon because I need bread that isn't moldy. Except that's a different story. And there's no Jewels around here. ;)


Try the quiz here!!!

Wait, was that the parade? I think I missed it

Saturday my school's marching band went downtown to march in Chicago's memorial day parade. We had to get there early because the streets were being closed down. So we got there around 10 after an hour long bus ride. The parade doesn't start until 12:30. Okay, we'll just sit here in the middle of the street for hours.

Random gross fact: Shortly after leaving the bus my friend dropped her clarinet reed on the sidewalk- in downtown Chicago. I'll leave it up to your imagination to think of all the things that could have happened on that sidewalk. Then she had to put it back in her mouth.

By the time we finally starting marching it was way past 12:30. I don't even remember what time it was, I was just so glad to leave. Plus I had to pee. When we turned the corner to the actual parade route there were so many people. I probably could have frozen right there. Like I don't have a hard enough time marching and playing at the same time already (I'm not even really good at either of those things separately) .

So we played our three songs, then we played the first two again. Then-nothing. It was over. The parade was over. I think it took us longer to walk from the end of the parade route to the bus than it did to march the whole parade. And after all that waiting.

That's ok, our town's memorial day parade is tomorrow and I'm sure it will be plenty long (and boring).

PS: It was actually a lot of fun. You should be sorry you missed it (especially since it was on tv and you could have watched it).