New Year's Videos - (3) Percussion

In an earlier entry I mentioned the percussion trio performing on the blue line platform of Jackson. In this third video of three you can actually experience them. I hope you like them as much as I did on my way home.

New Year's Videos - (2) Fireworks

In this second of three videos from that night you see the some of the fireworks at Navy Pier, on 12 am of 01/01 2009.

New Year's Videos - (1) Navy Pier

Now that I own my camera for roughly two years I have finally discovered how to shoot videos ... I was just too lazy to ever read the manual, and actually I deem it possible that it actually became a victim of my most recent move out of Berlin. Anyways, this is a short clip I recorded at Navy Pier on New Year's Eve. It is the first in a series of three.

Happy New Year Everyone!

Dear all,
I would like to wish you, the faithful followers of this blog, a Happy New Year! Be all of you blessed with good health and good luck!
Once more I obtained a few photos from the beautiful city of Chicago, and I would like to share them with you. They were taken on the occasion of the celebration of New Year's Eve. Since I had no other plans, I went to Navy Pier. I assume there are many of you who are not entirely familiar with the local geography, so I give you a short introduction. I am a resident of Oak Park, which borders Chicago to the west. Navy Pier is all across the city, which has a natural limit by Lake Michigan in the east. To go there from my home I use public transportation (the"L"), from which I get off at the Magnificent Mile, a nickname for Michigan Ave. (The Water Tower Place is also right there; see the respective post.) The top left image is giving you a pretty impression of what it looks like there. Since it was a very cold night, I sought shelter in a nearby movie theater, in which I recently watched the latest James Bond movie. Given the chill out there, you might say that I did find my "qantum of solace" in this well-heated place. ("Quantum of furnace" would be another pun ...) As I was strolling in the lobby of the building I found a poster of the latest Tom Cruise movie, Valkyrie, which is on screen now. There has been a big debate in Germany, whether or not Tom Cruise is a good choice for the role of Stauffenberg, the man who attempted (and failed) to assassinate Hitler in 1944. The debate had developed quite far from the original topic, i.e., would Mr. Cruise be capable of playing his role well, involving his participation in the Church of Scientology. Also, the question was raised whether a "movie star", which he inarguably is, is able to shift to serious "acting". Germans were adding their concerns that a Hollywood depiction of a national idol might be historically inaccurate. Well, apart from the fact that Stauffenberg's class conceit might just disqualify him as a role model, of course a Hollywood movie aims at entertainment and at box office success. In my opinion it would be too much to ask for such a production to be accurate (also Oskar Schindler was not the kind of role model as he appears in Spielberg's movie). Hence I think we can be satisfied if Tom Cruise abstains from being successful in the killing, as in Top Gun he certainly would have been.
After this quick excursion in politics I continued my walk to Navy Pier ... and I got stranded just a few doors futher down the street, at Walgreens. It was already the last hour of the year, and I was curious what a pharmacy being open at this time would be like. It turned out to be more of a drugstore, but with interesting additional supplies. For instance, they also sell chocolate and the likes. Moreover, it was the first time I saw contraceptives (condoms, that's right) sold in public here. (Combining this with all the chocolate I will from now on refer to Walgreens as the "candy place" ...) Not enough with that, there were also pregnancy tests in the next aisle ... Now, I am a very organized person, which is why I was wondering why the pregnancy tests and the condoms were not in the same shelf. Then I got struck by enlightenment - it must be for mercy. Imagine you are rushing into Walgreens in a panic, heading for the pregnancy tests, and your eye catches the sight of the condoms. You will inevitably blame yourself, "why o why didn't I use one of those the other night, so I wouldn't have to come for these". Walgreens is keeping you from that hassle.
Eventually I checked out with several chocloate bars to finally head to Navy Pier. The center left photo gives you the Giant Wheel, which was set up at the place where the world's first Giant Wheel ever was standing. Next to it I found a branch of McDonald's - no, I didn't eat there this time, I was too busy staring at their claim (center right). With only a few minutes to go to midnight, I was quite susceptible to the coincidence ... I also managed to shoot one picture of the firework (bottom left), but it is kind of hard to see. I must also say that the show was not all that overwhelming. But maybe I missed the best parts, as I lasted only ten more minutes, and then I was fed up with the cold. After all it was -10°C, and it felt like -20°C! The trip home took me over one hour, and I had the pleasure to experience and enjoy the superb percussion combo you see on the bottom right photo. They were performing at Jackson station, where I was making a connection. (They were making up for the firework.)
Finally, the new year has arrived, and I am in the US. There are a few things that Germans associate with Americans: they work hard, they eat Turkey, they drink Coke, and they like Barack Obama. Well, here I am on a Saturday night (actually Sunday morning) at 12:14 am, sitting in the lab and waiting for my sample to be cool, eating Turkey sandwiches, easing the swallowing with Coke, and reading Time magazine, which I bought because it has Obama as the "person of the year" on the cover. One might say that I've apparently had the full experience already, hence I might as well return home - but I haven't finished my 50 State Quarters collection yet. So there is still something to do for me here, and I can write about it. Which leaves me to say to you: stay tuned!