Excuse Below.

The world continues to rotate on it's wonderful axis as it rockets through this crazy old universe on jets made out of love and Newtonian physics. It seems that we have fought another long fight and have once again vanquished Mother Natures cruel gaze, expelling her abnormally cold hands once again to frozen shores of the Cocytus.

As she takes her leave, Chicago springs to life. It's part of a cycle that is as old as nature itself. It's called the "Cycle of Abuse." Now, I know I may seem slightly histrionic here, or maybe just like a Lifetime Original movie writer condemed forever to mini series for the Weather Channel, but it's true. As Chicago enters into the bitterness of the post solstice slump, it's proverbial abusive behavior becomes more and more apparent.

December's end means that the weather begins to drink too much at parties and yell obsenities at your friends. You tell yourself that the weather isn't really like this, that it's just had a hard day at work. After all, I mean it has been working since the beginning of time without a vacations. You tell your friends that they just don't understand, that they don't live here.

In January you begin to doubt yourself. Sure you can ignore the inevitable cruelty of the weather. In fact when your inside at work, or hanging out with your friends you barely think about it at all. But you begin to think about how things used to be. May and June were so wonderful, all sunshine and refreshing afternoon storms. But still as soon as you step outside it's bad again. Worse than it was before. The weather is cruel first thing in the morning and during the day now. It's as if night times darkness lasts longer, and day time's warmth is nothing but a memory. You are numb, but you press forward into February, knowing that if you can only get through this, your relationship with the weather will be great again. Just like it was when you first moved in together. Atleast you know rock bottom.

February brings you to your absolute depth. It's like What's Love Got to do With It. You're coming into work bruised and limping. You're too embarased to say you slipped on an ice patch on the way in, so you just grin and bare it. The wind is screaming all the time now and there's no letting up. You lock yourself in your room for days just to avoid being near the Chicago weather. Friends notice a change in you and offer safe places to stay with them. You pack your bags, ready to head out to California or Texas. Anything but here. You look at the city and it's as if you don't even recognize it any more.

But just as your foot is out the door, the sun comes out. It's as if the weather is telling you that it's just the booze. That it's going to change. And suddenly. There you go. Things are great. Sunshine, a little wind, but that's to be expected, Seasons don't change over night. There's a little snow, but it's ok. It's the city you fell in love with again. Your happy and going outside again.

But still your friends insist that it'll get bad again. But how could it, it's so beautiful now. The past is just that past. Winter's learned it's lesson. It's in treatment. Everything'll be fine right?

No. You've got to break the cycle, or you're just going to end up here again. Seriously. If you don't stand up yourself you'll be stuck here forever.

Get out now!