until they go free: 3 days...

A dreary morning gave way to brilliant sun here in the Windy City. Chicago is a city I know as well as any other I've never lived in and given the current level of exhaustion and yucky head cold, I have little motivation to explore. This morning, we played on WGN's morning show and I felt strangely nostalgic roaming the halls of the studio that gave us Bozo the Clown, Romper Room, and of course, those terribly endearing WB shows like Everwood and Seventh Heaven. Actually, I must confess the guily pleasure that was Buffy the Vampire Slayer but I digress...I do love Chicago, though. I'm only a few blocks from Wrigley Field, a place that holds as much nostalgia as any location I visited in my youth. Despite my waning interest in sports, I find the place magical.

The tour is winding down in all ways possible. After the strongest shows of the tour, we had only 20 people come out to the show last night, leaving us slightly disenchanted with the last two shows still to come. My health is winding down as I am finding it increasingly irritating sleeping in what might as well be a coffin. My lingering cough has finally passed but my body is apparently not coping with wellness and has decided to come down with flu for the second time this year; I never used to get sick. The band is slowly seeking independence, irritation comes easy, and the bus just plain smells. It's gross.

We really are having fun still but it's good and time for a break. I miss my bed, my friends, I miss driving, showering when I want to, etc. I miss my church and the community that comes with it. I do not, however, miss the fear of over-drawing my bank account or the feeling that I'm not getting to play ever. I've grown in so many ways in these short two months on the road and hope it's not too terribly long before I can do it again. The band is meshing so well on stage and off and I've made some new friends in this time. Next time I just hope we get to use hotel rooms. Speaking of, I get about 20 minutes in one if a bit to take a shower so I best get moving. Cheers!