Tote-leh Oarsome

It only takes a few days in a foreign country to start picking up on their lingo. Thus after just a week in Chicago I manage to absorb the word "awesome". I thought Americans only said that on the telly but many folk I met used it frequently! So now I've been saying it, except my accent is rather screwed up these days so I say totally in a vaguely Scottish way ("tote-leh") and awesome in an alarmingly nasal Australian way ("Oar-some. Mate!").

Anyway, I'm not going to keep banging on about BlogHer because I'm sure it must be tedious to read, but I just wanted to preserve in writing about two more OARSOME people I met.

First up - Meg who writes the gobmackingly great I Am That Girl Now. I've never met a blog that's given me so many "HOLY CRAP I Now Understand The Universe And Myself" moments, so I was dead chuffed to meet That Girl in person. Meg has written about it over here but I would like to add that she and her husband are fab tour guides and lovely people. They took me to Millenium Park, up the enormous skyscraper where they work so I could get a great view of the city, past Wrigley Field and on to their apartment with lovely cats and delicious decor.

Meg is vivacious and witty in the flesh, and thankfully just as much of a cheap drunk as I. She took me out for Mexican food where we each chugged a 16oz frozen margarita and each became extremely smashed. At one point I stood up to go to the loo and put my hand down on the table and it flipped up and sent things flying. Then when I finally shuffled to the bathroom I looked in the mirror and could not stop laughing at my reflection. Tears were pouring down my cheeks and I slumped against the wall, snorting with mirth, wondering when my face became so funny. What do they put in those margaritas?

Afterwards the three of us walked (well Meg and I stumbled, her hubby walked) around their neighbourhood, checking out the shops. There were crazy t-shirt shops, vintage shops and Adult Shoppes, making my neighbourhood with its eleventeen curry parlours seem so dull and distant. I also saw The Place Where Meg Used To Go And Pay Her Rent, and she kindly posed for a photograph outside that monumental tourist destination. Good times! Thank you so much, Meg.

And then on Sunday when all the BlogHer stuff was done I got to meet the legendary Erin. Wow. That was beyond bloody oarsome too. She is true gem of a lass. She came over to the Dubya hotel were I was staying and introduced me to the tasty delights of sangria. We chatted for a lovely long time about writing, work, boys and just how bloody insane it can be to put your life out there for the world to read.

Then my friend and roomate extraordinare SJ came by, and Erin took us to a rockin' Thai place. I have to say I was utterly sozzled by this point, and feeling dopey and sentimental about the whole weekend and the high concentration of cool, sharp, smart chicks I'd met. It was extremely overwhelming and quite powerful.

I can't help thinking if it wasn't for Erin and Tales From The Scale I might still be lurking behind my anonymous cape, thinking that my lardy past was a shameful secret. Meeting her became a catalyst for so many life-changing moments. I doubt I'd have ended up in Chicago two years later, content and kinda-confident and laughing it up with all my blogging heroes. I'm glad I got to thank her in person.

I can't believe I feel misty-eyed and nostalgic after a week. Arrgh! Sniff! Thank you for indulging me :)

Comments

[1 · Posted by Meg · August 10, 2007 at 01:54 PM]

Hurrah! I am oarsome! (God, I do say that a lot. I'd pare it out of my vocabulary but I think I'd have nothing left.)

Then when I finally shuffled to the bathroom I looked in the mirror and could not stop laughing at my reflection.

You coming back to the table to promptly tell us about that was, hands-down, my favorite moment of the whole day, and a strong contender for favorite of the year. I start giggling every time I think of it.

What do they put in those margaritas?

I WISH I KNEW. I keep expecting some kind of shocking city report to come out indicating that the margaritas are, in fact, laced with some kind of wacky drug, but thus far there have been no such reports.

I also saw The Place Where Meg Used To Go And Pay Her Rent

HAHAHA. Oh, lord. We have a picture of you taking a picture of me posing. My Hub is entirely too proud of himself for this.

Don't feel bad about the neighborhoods, mate; we're almost never down in Boystown these days. A more typical example of our nights out would have been to haul you back to our place, order a frightening pizza, and watch pirated downloads of whatever TV show we're enamored of at the moment. Next time, eh? ;-)

[2 · Posted by dg · August 10, 2007 at 03:19 PM]

Hiya Ms Oarsome... I loooved seeing the neighbourhoods! That was rockin'. I like to get out of the city centre when i go places :)

But pizza and pirated tv sounds equally good :)

[3 · Posted by SJ · August 10, 2007 at 03:45 PM]

It was totally awesome to see you too. Sorry, had to be Gratuitous American.

Because of you, I got to meet Erin and some other amazing people, and that never would have happened otherwise.

[4 · Posted by alyndabear · August 12, 2007 at 02:56 AM]

Lookit that margarita! I feel tipsy just looking at it.

[5 · Posted by RT the fitness guy · August 12, 2007 at 02:38 PM]

What's wrong with the Australian way? I quite often talk like that!

[6 · Posted by dg · August 12, 2007 at 02:41 PM]

Did I say there was anything wrong the Australian way? The Australian way RULES!

[7 · Posted by RT the fitness guy · August 12, 2007 at 02:52 PM]

Of course the Aussie way rules!

My AFL team got knocked out of the finals today - I need cheering up.

CAKE!

[8 · Posted by dg · August 12, 2007 at 03:07 PM]

oh you poor bugger... that never is fun! roll on 2008! ;)

[9 · Posted by Erin · August 12, 2007 at 09:06 PM]

Oh goodness. You're going to make me all teary eyed again.

I am so touched that you feel as though I had some part in your success, but honestly? You would have found your way here all on your own. It's just who you are.

Sorry I've been MIA this week - new job and all.

Much love!!

[10 · Posted by ombites (mary) · August 17, 2007 at 12:11 PM]

You got me laughing girl, what an *oar-some* experience in Chicago mate. You sound like a hilarious drunk! :-P