Phantom Planet Show 10.7.2024

   On October 7th I took off work to go see Phantom
Planet in Chicago. Technically I probably could have just left work early, but I'd rather not have been overwhelmed getting to the concert after work. Having the day off also meant I had time to do other things beforehand so I decided to get my hair highlighted. I got my hair done at the local beauty school, as it was quite a bit cheaper. My hair still turned out really nice though. The student shared different things she had learned at the school with me while doing my hair.  The girl was kind enough to even style my hair afterwards, straightening it and adding little waves. I guess at the beauty school your not expected to tip, but of course I did. Phantom Planet is currently on tour with Hanson but also doing a 20th anniversary tour for their self-titled album. My particular show was a Hanson show. 

    After getting my hair done I ate lunch before taking a nap. I also took my dog on a walk before heading down to Chicago where Phantom Planet would be playing. I decided to leave at 3pm with the Phantom Planet meet n greet being at 4:45. As expected there was some traffic near Chicago. A drive that was only supposed to take an hour and 12ish minutes took a little over an hour and a half. While driving down I shuffled Phantom Planet's discography via Spotify. Phantom Planet would be opening for Hanson at the House of Blues. I arrived at the parking garage I had reserved parking for around 4:35. Luckily the parking garage was basically across the street from the venue. When I first arrived at the venue I was unsure of where to go. There was a line of fans lined up by a side door, so I went towards the front of that line to see if I could figure out where to go from there. A Hanson friend asked me if I was looking for a friend that was closer to the front. I explained, and she told me Phantom Planet's tour manager had been out looking for VIP members but it had been a bit ago. They told me I could probably go over to the main entrance of the building on the other side and pointed out the way. It seemed weird that stray Hanson fans wouldn't try to go through the front door, but they didn't. When I explained to security why I was there the first security guard said they had sent the first group upstairs already. (She must have been confused, it turns out only the band had gone upstairs into the main area, but because she said that I was paranoid I was missing out on part of the VIP experience, even when around other VIP fans, especially when they didn't start leading us into the main area until 5:45ish.) When it was almost time to go up Phantom Planet began sound checking their songs. For the VIP experience I had gone to in 2023 they let the VIP's listen in on soundcheck, which made me a little more paranoid. The thoughts of paranoia stopped when we walked up the stairs and only the band was on stage with no one else in the room. I stood next to the barricade with a few other fans. Around 15 of us total maybe 20. They performed two songs electronically and then asked us if we'd prefer for them to keep playing on the stage or do a little acoustic show. I said acoustic, and since I was in the front they heard me, and were like yeah of course. 

    They grabbed two acoustic guitars and came down from the stage and sat in the middle of the floor as everyone else sat in a semi circle around them. I had a straight on view and they were only like 5 ft. in front of me. They asked for song requests, and someone even asked for one that they hadn't played in many years. Alex (the lead singer), stopped in the middle of the song because he had forgotten the lyrics to his own song so the fan sang the lines to him. At one point Darren (guitarist) told Alex they should switch guitars because he wanted Alex to have the nicer sounding one. I said "it's a trick." to which Darren replied "it's not, I promise." I was able to capture a nice picture of them playing the acoustic set together. (My phone usually doesn't take good pictures, so I leave it up to the others at the show.) 

   Phantom Planet has 4 members currently but Sam (bassist) is also in Maroon 5 so he has a Las Vegas residency with them, and Jeff (drummer) lives with his wife and kids in Minneapolis so it's harder for him to actively participate in the band. Sam will be apart of Phantom Planet shows for this tour, but Jeff will not be able to make it to any shows. Filling in for them are two of Alex's and Darren's friends Chris (filling in for bass), and Andrew (filling in on drums.) All of them are very sweet people. 

   After the mini acoustic set the doors were set for the Hanson fans to start coming in. Darren and Alex lead us to a back/merch area for the meet n greet opportunity. You could buy merch while you waited in line to talk with Darren and Alex. I had made little gift bags for each member. Each bag contained a pair of space themed socks, sour patch gum (Darren and Alex's favorite), and a Cadbury chocolate bar. The one I just so happened to pick for Darren, Carmello, ended up being one of his and his mom's top favorite chocolate bars. I knew Cadbury was an excellent chocolate company, but I guess it was an even better pick than I thought. I made a gift bag for Darren, Alex, Andrew, Chris, and Sam for when he was able to join the tour. I wanted to let Chris and Andrew know that they are also appreciated even if they are just filling in. Alex and Darren;s bags were addressed from me and Astro my puppy, that Alex actually helped name. (Alex and Darren run a Phantom Planet Patreon page where fans can interact with each other and Alex and Darren. Darren is on a couple times a day, and Alex is on about once a day. There's not too many people so you can easily keep up with the chat throughout the day and not have your messages lost in the chat like with other creator chats. It's also nice how active Darren and Alex are (most creators aren't) but Darren and Alex really care about their fans.) 

  When it came time for me to talk to Alex and Darren I was much more nervous than I thought I would be and stumbled on my words. I got out how I had the gift bags and that one was for Sam. When Darren first saw me he said "Alex, right?" which was a little shocking, but goes to reiterate the point that they care about their fans. I then asked them if they were okay with hugs before hugging them, and saying something about them being on tour and good luck for their show before getting a picture. Maybe my gifts redeemed me though from that moment. After leaving the line and going into the main space to wait for Phantom Planet to perform I was shaking. I usually was able to calmly talk to people I felt inspired by, but I guess that sometimes it's okay to be humbled. :P (While taking the picture Alex must have peaked in and noticed the sour patch gum because he commented to Darren, she got the good gum) (Alex also said that he would protect Sam's gift bag with his life. ha ha.) 

    I got a spot towards the left back once I was ready. As with other small venues you could see the performer really clearly from wherever you were in the venue. Due to this the one picture I got of Phantom Planet opening makes it seem like I was closer than I actually was. The Hanson fans played along even though they weren't actually here for Phantom Planet and even danced a little bit. Phantom Planet played a little over a half hour set before going off. After Phantom Planet went off stage I ordered a slice of pizza and a rum and coke from the bar. I sat and ate as Hanson came on. I hadn't known about Hanson before this, and couldn't really get into their music, but gave it a try and stayed for half of their set. The VIP package for Phantom Planet also got you a Phantom Planet goodie bag you could claim after Phantom Planet and/or Hanson performed. It included a Phantom Planet drawstring bag, an old fashioned mix without the bourbon with 3 different recipes on a card, bar napkins with the Phantom Planet logo, and a retro style motel/hotel keychain, since the VIP experience was known as Motel Phantom. I arrived back home around 10pm with Phantom Planet going on stage around 6:30pm. and leaving Chicago around 8:30. As soon as I stepped out of the House of Blues 2 police cars pulled up to the venue and started walking inside??? Must have picked the perfect time to leave? Although I didn't hear about anything happening at the venue later on. (Shout out to Mary from Patreon who also recognized me from Patreon at the show. It was lovely meeting you.) 

     The day after the show Darren reposted the picture of him and Alex from the acoustic set that I had taken on his Instagram story. Darren thanked me again for the gifts and told me how they really enjoyed the gum and about how Carmello Cadbury chocolate bars were him and his mom's top favorite chocolate bar as stated above. Darren also shared a pic of him wearing his new socks paired with white crocs to be silly. He's chosen crocs as his tour show for comfort while traveling but not on stage. I think at this point I can at least say that they are my friends, and I can't wait for the next show.

Green Day Concert 8.24.2024

    Around Christmas time last year tickets for Green Day were going to be going on sale. I sent my mom the link as an idea for Christmas. Green Day tickets sell out fast, and then they can get resold for pretty expensive. I hadn't thought she would actually buy the tickets. Especially when over a week later she asked me if I had gotten tickets for the concert. (She was making sure I hadn't yet, so she could.) With my brother and sister-in-law being in Canada on that date, my mom bought tickets for me, herself, and dad. I had seen Green Day in 2021 at Wrigley Field for the Hella Mega Tour with Fall Out Boy and Weezer, but this concert seemed much more incredible to me. (I also had a headache for the concert in 2021 so that didn't help.) 

    One of the things that made this concert especially special was the fact that they played through all of their album "American Idiot". That album is my favorite album of all time and very sentimental to me. My brother had gotten a lot of Green Day's albums in the early 2000's on CD and burned me a copy of American Idiot and International Superhits. (I just looked up their albums today and they have 14 studio albums which is crazy to me.) (My brother had the albums Dookie, American Idiot, International Superhits, Insomniac, Warning, Nimrod, and Shenanigans. I ended up purchasing 21st Century Breakdown, Awesome as F**ck, Uno Dos & Tre, and Revolution Radio on CD later on). I remember my mom listening through both albums to make sure they would be okay for me to listen to, and approving them. (Not sure how they got approved, as I was in elementary school when American Idiot first came out.) I had a portable CD player and would listen to American Idiot and International Superhits repeatedly on the bus on the way to school, or during recess time at school. (Now to the really deep part). In elementary school from 3rd grade on I struggled a lot with anxiety, and was diagnosed with General Anxiety Disorder. I worried about everything even when I knew it wasn't rational it didn't matter. This lead to constant stomachaches, and made me more of a loner in a sense. My peers didn't understand why I was so afraid of everything, so I was more isolated. I cried most days, and was so plagued with fear it was hard for me to go out and hang out with friends at different places, etc. I hated it. I hated that my summer would be ruined at the end of July knowing school would start "soon" even though I still had a month left. The first day of school had always been so hard for me that I would worry far in advance. I hated that I was constantly worried that my parents might die while I was at school, or that I would catch the flu. I hated how the weekend would be ruined starting Friday night because I was so worried for school on Monday that I couldn't even enjoy my two days off. I hated that I was a child that would have an existential crisis and be filled with fear about the creation of the universe and the thought of eternity. I hated that I my brain wouldn't let me have a normal childhood, and that therapy took so long to work. But what does that have to do with American Idiot? American Idiot was the album I listened to the most while going through all of this. I didn't understand the political undertones of the album, but caught onto the catchiness of the songs. I especially caught onto the lyrics of one song in particular. "Extraordinary Girl." The lyrics are "Somedays she feels like dying, she gets so sick of crying." (Very dark for a 9 year old girl.) I was so sick of crying all of the time, and I do mean all of the time. I cried most days, because of how overwhelmed I felt. I didn't want to die necessarily but remember being comforted by the fact that life was so short. I remember my therapist back then telling me that life happens in a blink of Gods eye and being really comforted by that because it meant I wouldn't have to suffer too long. (Yikes). I also caught on to the lyrics "Nobody likes you, everyone left you, they're all out without you having fun." Which is also dark. 5th grade was probably the worst year of school for me, due to being bullied by a girl I used to consider a best friend. She was going through her parents getting divorced at the time so she was in a hard place herself. During that year she had basically turned the whole 5th grade class against me and was just really mean to me. I would come home crying because of her. She was the main reason when I entered middle school I didn't have anyone to lean on, and had to basically start over and make new friends. It was really isolating. But Green Day understood. I knew I wasn't totally hated, and that my family really loved me, but I knew because of my anxiety disorder I did miss out on a lot, and had a hard time being able to have fun in the first place due to my constant worry. So people really were out without me having fun. Both sets of lyrics made me feel sad, but they also made me feel comforted and understood in a way as well. Going through this at such a young age gave me so much empathy and understanding especially working with children now who also have a harder time in a school setting then most kids. I also have a memory of having friends sleepover in 4th or 5th grade and putting a boombox outside of my brother's room while he was still sleeping and turning the volume all the way up and playing the song "American Idiot." I remember him coming out of his room and unplugging the boombox and then going back inside his bedroom to which we just proceeded to plug the boombox back in and do it again this time standing outside his door so he couldn't unplug it. He was so angry. 

     At the concert Green Day played through all of their album "Dookie" as well as well as a few other songs and then playing through"American Idiot." It had been 30 years since they released "Dookie" and 20 years since they had released "American Idiot". They ended the show by playing through "American Idiot, and I shouted along to the lyrics as memories of me from 20 years ago appeared in my mind. Little Alex would have been so proud of where adult Alex is now and all I have overcome. While they were playing the songs from each album they had set pieces/backgrounds that featured the album art. For "Dookie" they had an explosion as the background and had a blimp flying over the crowd during one of the songs. For "American Idiot they had a giant hand holding a heart-shaped hand grenade as the background. One of the things I'm fascinated with is how they could perform 37 songs (2.5 hours) non-stop without only a few seconds every now and then for changing the background etc. I would have to take breaks to sit down, and my diaphragm started aching from shouting so much, and I'm not 50. :P Around halfway through the set the drummer, Tre sang a song while dressed in a robe and dancing around. This was probably the biggest break Billie Joe (frontman) got the whole show and it was like a minute long song. :P One of the main highlights of the show was when Billie Joe had a fan come on stage who looked to be around 6 years old. She was dressed in a black button up shirt and a red tie, which is what Billie Joe would wear during the American Idiot tour. She was not shy at all and sang along to "Know Your Enemy" with Billie Joe and started jumping around on stage. It was very wholesome. The concert ended with Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) and fireworks. At one point during the show Billie Joe reminded the audience to just be in the moment and had everyone put away their phones for a few minutes. I like to also rarely take my phone out during concerts to just enjoy the moment. (Plus I know there are many other people who will have gotten way better pictures then I could of.) (Below are some pictures I gathered from around the internet besides the selfie.) Green Day had three openers before they went on so my parents and I "tailgated" in the parking lot for the first 2 hours with the concert starting at 5:30 and us getting there around 5. There was gatorade, soda, and water for drinks, and sandwiches, taco dip, salmon dip, and rice krispie bars to eat while listening to a podcast. We also had a mini solar powered generator that ran a fan from the back of my parent's van. (My mom may have been way over-prepared but we were not going to suffer for those two hours.) When we were walking into the venue Carly Rae Jepson's song "Call Me Maybe" of all songs was playing between bands over the loud speaker. (That was not the right vibe for the concert. :P ) The openers for the show were "The Linda Lindas", "Rancid", and "The Smashing Pumpkins". I had heard of the Smashing Pumpkins and knew their song "Tonight, Tonight" but was surprised when I recognized 5 of their songs. The alternative radio station I listen to sometimes plays their songs pretty frequently.  

    I hope to be able to see Green Day again someday, and am excited for more live concert experiences in the future. 

    

A Day in Chicago (6/15/24)

    I rarely listen to the radio in the car, as I like to shuffle my liked songs on Spotify through an aux chord. (Aux chords are truly the best.) Back in April I had the radio on in my car and heard an ad I had to take a double take for. A few years ago I realized I could tune into one of Chicago's alternative rock stations while in Kenosha. The ad was for a street festival in Chicago (Taste of Randolph), and Phantom Planet would be one of the artists playing there. When I first heard the words Phantom Planet, I thought I had definitely heard wrong. They hadn't said anything about playing in Chicago, and weren't currently on tour. They also had been born and raised in Los Angeles, so it didn't really make sense they would play a one off show for a street festival in Chicago. I looked it up when I was able, and found out that I had in fact heard correctly. They would be in Chicago in June, and it would be free to get in. I looked up where the street festival was taking place. It turned out that it was a 15 minute walk from the train station, so it was almost a no brainer that I had to go, and man was it a perfect weather day. Sure it did get a little hot at times, but not overly. It wasn't too hot, never got cold even after dark, etc. (The next day it would be in the 90s and storm part of the day so I got extremely lucky.) 

    My roommate Rebecca and I headed to the train station at 11:30 (I had planned to leave at 11:20, but didn't think 11:30 would make too much of a difference),(my phone decided to freeze when looking up directions) with our train leaving at 12:10 in a neighboring town. The drive would be a half hour. I figured we would at least have 10 minutes of wiggle room when we got to the train station. That was not what happened. We ended up getting to the train station at 12:06. We needed to get a parking pass and make a mad dash for the train. The train waits for no one, as I have found out in the past. It leaves at exactly 12:10. There was someone attempting to print their own parking pass at the machine. I looked around to see if there was another one, but there wasn't. The person at the machine eventually gave up and walked away. I quickly went over, and noticed that the person had actually bought a ticket but must have not have known you were supposed to hit print, as the machine is a little confusing. It was now 12:08 and that person was gone from sight, so in a split decision I printed the ticket and sprinted to my car and then to the train. I yelled to my roommate that you could buy train tickets on the train, and we made it onto the train about 15 seconds before it left. (I knew you could buy tickets on the train after doing it many times before.) (The parking pass was $5 so the person who left the ticket only lost out on $5.) We sat in a seat and I felt like I was going to vomit from running so fast. 

    We made it to Chicago around 1:30, and decided to go to the Sears Tower. The Sears Tower was only a 10 minute walk away. Since Rebecca had not really seen much of Chicago yet, I thought going to the Sears Tower would be good place to visit. I also love the glass ledges that are suspended above the city. Online it said that going to the Sears Tower would cost $30, although this was too much in my opinion I thought it still would be okay at that price to visit, however I guess if you buy tickets on the day of at the actual Sears Tower it's $48. (It could also be that it was the weekend vs. a week day, but I was not willing to spend that kind of money.) We left while trying to figure out what to do instead. We figured we would walk to where the festival was being held and explore the area around the festival before making our way in. (Since it was a free festival you could leave and come back in as many times as you wanted.) Taste of Randolph featured various restaurants that are on Randolph Street, therefore it has the name Taste of Randolph. Once we found the festival we decided to go in to see where the show would take place. There was an East Stage and a West Stage with Phantom Planet performing later on the West Stage. We entered the festival on the east side I had figured out, and made our way towards the west entrance. (The festival itself was only about 3-4 blocks long so it didn't take too long to get to one side or the other. The crowds of people were what slowed down the walk. The crowd didn't seem too bad, but the festival did become more and more crowded as the day went on. There ended up being a VooDoo Doughnuts near where we had entered. I had been wanting to go to one, so we did. (VooDoo doughnuts is a donut shop chain located in major cities around the United States that has around 50 different varieties of donuts with fun names. I got a donut called "All That Razz" which was a donut with blue raspberry icing with pink and white stripes and edible glitter that had raspberry jelly inside. Rebecca had a maple bacon donut with eyes and a mustache drawn on the donut. The first bite seemed like a lot, but it was actually pretty good. (After getting home from Chicago I saw a post of Alex and Darren from Phantom Planet sharing a donut from VooDoo doughnuts "Lady and the Tramp" style.)

    

              We sat on the sidewalk to rest a little before looking at the different vendors, and dogs at the fesitval. Taste of Randolph was dog-friendly so there were quite a bit of dogs there. Including a Chihuahua that laid down in the middle of the street while his owner was walking him. The owner sat near us on the sidewalk with her chihuahua while he rested before beginning to walk him again. We found the west stage easily, and then made our way through the food vendors section of the festival. For food Rebecca and I got Chicago-style beef sandwiches. There was also a fruit water and lemonade stand nearby where I got a hibiscus infused water. It tasted fruity for being a flower and was red/pink in color. (When at a food festival you can't have normal everyday things.) After making our way through the festival we decided to sit in a Starbucks for a little over an hour before the show started as a way to get out of the sun for a little bit. (Rebecca did order a drink, so we weren't loitering.) 

        We then made our way back towards the stage. I noticed that if you started towards the back of the crowd, you wouldn't be able to move up very easily. However, if you came in from the side you could easily get closer to the stage, without pushing through people, which I don't believe in. :P Rebecca doesn't like crowds so she stayed off towards the side as I made my way in. I somehow managed to be in the thirdish row but then noticed an open space by the barricade. Not a super small space, but a space to move around in even. A few songs in I asked the person in front of me if it would be okay if I stood there, pointing to the open space. She motioned for me to do so, so I did. Also front and center were two elderly men in their 80s sitting on lawn chairs. One remained sitting the whole show while the other would occasionally get up and dance, sometimes even with the girls in their 20s. It was very wholesome. The stage with the Chicago skyline in the back with trains passing by in the distance was definitely an amazing venue to have a concert, especially with the nice weather. The lead singer, Alex even paused to point out one of the trains passing by during the set, saying "epic!". The band joked about how they had been asked to play a 75 minute set, which they hadn't been expecting at all. (I read a behind the scenes story that the guitarist, Darren had swallowed a pebble that must have been on the top of his sparkling water can, towards the beginning of their set. He was able to get it out quickly but got worried he might have to get rushed to the emergency room. I hadn't even noticed this had happened. He acted like having a pebble/debris on a can is a totally normal thing, and that you should always make sure to wipe off the top of your can before taking a drink. I feel like bees flying into drinks would be a lot more common then that.) To stall Alex gave some details about their song "The Galleria" even though that's probably their most straightforward song. As I always say: seeing a show live, and being able to feel and see the music, and being in the same place as the musicians is so magical. Going to see live music is definitely a top favorite thing of mine, and the sound was so crisp, and energetic like the last time I had seen them. This time I didn't stay after to meet them, and as it turned out they left later that day on a flight back to California anyway. (I think if I had been apart of their Patreon before the show, they might have stayed after to greet me because then they would have known I would have been there. They see all the messages that fans send in the group chats in their Patreon and treat you like their friends which is still so wild to me.) 

    After the show Rebecca and I tried to decide if we should head to the train station or explore more of Chicago. I was more leaning towards exploring Chicago more since the whole Sears Tower incident had been so sad. We ultimately decided to explore more of Chicago since the weather was so nice and I wanted Rebecca to see more of Chicago. We headed back towards the train station where there was a dock for a water taxi. Riding the water taxi had been one of my favorite things in the past about visiting Chicago in the summer. I realized again why I had liked it so much. Seeing the Chicago architecture from the Chicago River is picturesque and just a fun way to get around. The water taxi would be done running around 8pm, and by the time we got there it was around 7:30. We bought one-way tickets to Michigan Avenue. (Michigan Avenue is the main shopping street in Chicago, known as the "Magnificent Mile" for those not familiar with Chicago.) The water taxi dropped us off right next to Trump Tower. I had heard in the past of someone being able to go up in Trump Tower to get a good view of the city, so I decided we should try and go in. As we were heading to a front entrance a tour boat was going by on the river and was saying that you can get a good view of the city skyline from the 16th floor of the Trump Tower, so that is what we did. On the 16th floor there is a terrace bar that overlooks the city on the west side, and a a few buildings and Lake Michigan from the other side. The sun was beginning to set when we got up there, so it really was a picture perfect moment. It really made up for not getting to go to the top of the Sears Tower. Although it was not as high up as the Sears Tower. Seeing scenery like that for free was definitely the right choice, and I'm so glad we had that moment. I will definitely have to do it again, maybe next time with a reservation to the bar/restaurant to thoroughly enjoy it. 

    While walking along Michigan Avenue I saw the Hard Rock Cafe sign. I had yet to visit the Hard Rock Cafe in Chicago and was excited to do so after having been to the one in NYC, Denver, and Myrtle Beach. (I've seen the outside of the one in D.C. but I hope to one day actually visit.) I think it's super neat to see the different memorabilia in each one. This particular Hard Rock Cafe had a handwritten note from John Lennon to a little girl who was a fan. We didn't eat at the Cafe but walked around and looked at the memorabilia. It was a lot of fun to just walk around Michigan Avenue after dark and take in the views of the Chicago skyline at night especially while walking over a bridge of the Chicago River. We realized that the train station was only about a 15 minute walk from where we were currently at so we walked back to the train station when it was around 9:00. (I had thought Michigan Avenue and the train station were further apart.) The temperature at that time was still in the mid 70s. I had checked the weather beforehand in order to decide if I needed to haul around a jacket, and I'm glad I didn't. It was definitely not needed. We caught the train and made it back to our apartment before midnight. (I have since joined Phantom Planet's Patreon. For a monthly fee I get to support Phantom Planet while they share guitar tutorials of their songs, karaoke versions of their songs, songwriting tutorials, behind the scenes footage, behind the scenes stories, etc. The Patreon also has community chats where fans can converse with each other. Darren and Alex are also very active in the chats and check the chats at least once a day and reply to fans. Since there is only a few of us who are active in the chat and it's not flooded with messages, either Alex or Darren will most likely see your particular messages. Both Darren and Alex have replied directly to my messages, and that is definitely something super unique to Phantom Planet. A lot of the time with Patreon the band members will only occasionally pop in to chat with fans, but with Phantom Planet they form a genuine connection with fans, and want to hear our opinions on things, etc, and I love that. Please check out Phantom Planet if you haven't yet. They are super talented musicians and songwriters, and their songs go hard. 

 

Losing Bruno (A Letter to Bruno)

   To my dear friend, Bruno, or Brunyes as I often referred to you as, because Bruno was too negative. My puppy, my buddy, my protector. I'm sorry I let you down. Adopting you was so exciting. I had seen your profile on the humane society website and fell in love. You warmed up to me right away when I met you, and I took you home that same day. A German Shepherd/Corgi Mix. I knew because of how beautiful you looked that you would get adopted super fast so I even had a hold put on you so I could decide for sure if I would adopt you. You ticked all the boxes of what I was looking for in a dog. You were quieter, wanted to be the only dog in the house but could handle other dogs, you would do better in a smaller space, etc. I had waited years to own a dog.  I took you to Petsmart, and bought you a toy, a food and water bowl, and a harness. The toy was a pheasant, you tore it up quickly, and yet I still kept it and am currently looking at it. You would occasionally still play with it even with all the stuffing out of it, and squeaker gone. The staff at PetSmart loved you. People talked about how well behaved you were that first day. You stood quietly while we waited for a staff member to fit you for a harness. Even when I took you to the vet for a checkup and vaccine booster, the vet said you were a 10/10 patient. You sat next to me on the bench as we waited for the vet and weren't aggressive at all towards them. You didn't even notice when you were getting the shots. 

   You warmed up to living in my apartment quickly. You would watch people walk by out the patio door, as well as squirrels and bunnies. You really wanted those bunnies. We could never leave anything on our coffee table, because you liked to sit on it. I remember looking in the patio door as I made my way to the apartment to see you sitting on the coffee table. You would also occasionally sit on one of the chairs at the kitchen table. One of the first things you did when arriving at the apartment was climb right on the couch. You would lay anywhere that was comfy. My faux fur rug, my bed, and even the bath mat in the bathroom when I was getting ready to go somewhere. You ended up finding my volleyball and claimed it as yours, and started ripping it up, and I couldn't even be mad. You were completely relaxed and felt so safe living with me, which is why it makes this even harder. You would often fall asleep on your back, lay your head on my leg, and would occasionally lay in my lap. 

   I took you to the nearest dog park which we would spend a lot of time at. It was the only way I knew for sure you would go poop before I went to work. You didn't like pooping while on a leash, but usually eventually would on longer walks. The first time I took you to the dog park you were terrified of the other dogs. You jumped up against my legs when another dog would approach you, as the hair stood up on your back. You eventually got used to being around the other dogs and even started to play with them. I was so proud. Another dog owner commented that you were warming up at a quicker pace then most rescue dogs. You liked running with the other dogs the most, and man even with short legs you could run so quick. I'm happy that the day before I took you back to the humane society that you had the dog park all to yourself and could run all around freely. You enjoyed pup cups, frozen peanut butter kongs, squeaky toys, and chew toys. You loved chasing the flashlight light when it shone on the ground. You loved going for walks around the neighborhood, and walked good on a harness unless you saw a squirrel, then you would pull. :) In the mornings when I'd first wake up and talk to you, you would lean in closer as if catching every word, or maybe you just liked my morning breath a little too much. 🤪

   You loved my roommate, and would whine at my bedroom door when she got ready for work in the mornings. You were a good sleeper at night. You let me sleep all night without waking me up unreasonably early. The first week I had you, you were comfortable around my friends when they visited the apartment and super calm. My sister in law and brother also visited after a week of owning you, however you barked at my brother and even growled a little. You eventually stopped barking after he gave you a treat, and I remained calm. After like 15 minutes you started barking again, and were able to be redirected again. That was one of my main reasons for having to bring you back.

     You were really calm around most people while on leash and out on walks, but then you started barking more and more at people. If I was talking to one of my apartment neighbors outside, you barked at them and wouldn't stop barking. If I walked you in the hallway of the apartment building and someone was standing outside the door or came outside of their apartment you would lunge and bark at them. I was able to hold you back, but started taking you in situations where I could avoid as much human interaction as possible. I think a lot of my neighbors became afraid of you, and I couldn't blame them. I don't know what you would have done, had you been off leash. If you would have just barked at them or actually attacked. The vet hadn't been afraid of this behavior and told me to try and distract you before you would notice the people around. Which worked somewhat, except for the people close by. I had a dog trainer come to do a free evaluation, and you couldn't even be in the same room with him because you wouldn't stop barking at him, and even growled as he left. 

    The 2nd main issue which lead to me bringing you back didn't occur until almost three weeks of having you. We were at the dog park, and you attacked another dog. In your file at the humane society it said you had attacked another dog, but it was because they were after your dog food, which made sense. The dog at the dog park had just been curious, and was coming to greet you. I had never seen you act this way so I was confused. The other dog owner was gracious and didn't get mad, thankfully, but a few days later I went to my parent's house for Mother's Day weekend for the first time since owning you. Everything was great at first. You were afraid at first, but then you began warming up to my parents and their dog Drake. You explored the yard and even played with Drake, but then while inside you attacked Drake and it was unprovoked. I had walked into another room to get something and both you and Drake followed. You must have not had liked that Drake was also following me, because you attacked him. The fight was broken up, and nothing else happened that evening. Both you and Drake relaxed, although Drake was definitely more afraid of you now and kept his distance. Attack 2 and then 3 happened the next day. Again unprovoked you attacked Drake, Drake who was almost twice your size. The fight was again pulled apart and my dad tried to scare you into not doing it again, but you did. You both were outside playing and getting along well and playing fetch with each other. After playing you were both just walking around the yard when the final attack came. This one was the worst. I got to the fight first, but was unable to pull the dogs apart. My dad was finally able to, but said if I had been alone and this happened there would have been no way I would have been able to pull them apart and he probably would have killed Drake. My dad got mad, and I thought for sure had definitely scared you into not even thinking about ever attacking Drake again, but even so I didn't want to risk it, and bought you a muzzle. While you were in the room together you had to be muzzled to prevent other attacks. You looked so sad with the muzzle on, but I couldn't even be sorry for you. You continued to growl at Drake 2 other times even while muzzled which makes me think there would have definitely been more attacks. 

    I planned to surrender you to the humane society the day after Mother's Day, but when it came to the actual day I just couldn't do it, and kept you for 2.5 more weeks, and I'm actually glad that I did, because that means I prolonged your life for that much longer. I made the decision to surrender you and set up the appointment which occurred on Friday, May 31st. Since it took over a week to get you in for the appointment so the behavioral team I thought I had gotten used to the idea of surrendering you, and acceptance with it. While setting up the appointment they had said over the phone that there was a chance of euthanasia. I knew you were a good boy with a few issues so I wasn't worried, and then yesterday came, and man was that one of the hardest moments of my life. 

   I came home early from work and let you out to go to the bathroom for the last time at the apartments. You were so excited to see me home early, and greeted me at the door like you always did. With so much excitement. I decided to bring along your favorite toy and your dog bed that you frequently used. You pulled on the leash towards the car. We drove to the humane society and I left you in the car when I went inside to tell them that you were out in the car. I second guessed my decision as I brought you in. Then the worst moment. The last time I saw you, the last time that I didn't know would be the last time ever. They had me walk you into the kennel. You were cautious when you got to the room of kennels, probably due to deja vu of having done this before. You came right into the kennel when I stepped in there. I pet you and unclipped your harness, and then the worker closed the kennel. You jumped up against the kennel while crying, maybe you realized what was happening at that point. I walked away as I heard you cry, and continued to hear your cries from the front room. I had broken down and was crying as well, man it felt so heartbreaking to leave you there in that small kennel, as you pleaded for me to come back, and that having to be my last memory of you. I thought about how beautiful of a dog you were. (And now my heart breaks even more as I think about how your last moments will be spent in that kennel wondering where I went instead of being with me, and I'm so sorry about that. I honestly didn't know you wouldnt be adopted out again. ) 

   I talked to the behavioral staff for awhile giving details of what had happened, so the next owner could have specific details, and know what they were getting into. I even made a document for the next owners highlighting your likes/dislikes and other things I had noticed from being your owner. I included my personal information so the next owners could let me know how you were doing. While talking to the behavioral staff I realized that you might not be going to a new owner afterall, and that was confirmed an hour after coming home. You were set to be euthanized, and I couldn't stop crying. You weren't "bad" enough to be euthanized, and I was letting them take your life. You didn't deserve that. You deserved an owner that could get you properly trained. You were only 2.5 years old. Those sad puppy eyes and jumping up against the kennel suddenly meant so much more. They put your dog bed and favorite toy in the kennel, and I hope that it brought you some comfort. I am so sorry Bruno, and I love you so much. In my head I liken it to abortion. I know they're way different from each other, but the staff telling me it was the best option for you and convincing me made me think that. They both end a life prematurely. I thought about coming to rescue you and trying to rehome you myself. Maybe the last owner had purposely left out information about you so you could have another chance. It did prolong your life a little longer if that were the case, and I am thankful that we met and for the time we got to spend together.

   Today I went to a party, and afterwards wondered if they had taken your life yet. I called the humane society to ask. They told me you were still alive, and I asked if I could be there for your last moments, but they said it wouldn't be allowed. I wanted so badly to see you so I asked if I could at least give you a proper goodbye, but after discussing it with your other staff I was told that also wouldn't be allowed, due to it being too stressful for you. God I wish I could see you one last time, to tell you how much I loved you and how much of a good boy you were. I'm honored and blessed and thank God that I got to spend 1.5 months with you, and that your last days were so happy, and that you'll have happy memories of our times together, and I hope you can forgive me. I am so heartbroken, the apartment seems emptier, I see all your toys around the house, your food bowl with one piece of dog food left in the bowl, your white fur all over my black sweater. The spot in my bed where you used to lay, and all the other things that remind me of you. I thank you for making me laugh by being your goofy self, for providing me comfort, for adventurous walks around the neighborhood, and for making sure I was safe. Thank you for following me everywhere.

  I hope that this is what God wanted me to do. I keep telling myself that it was the right decision so you no longer have to be stressed when seeing strangers. You could have really hurt someone, and I hope this was the best way of making sure that you wouldn't. I know if I hadn't brought you in on Friday, you'd still be alive. Although I feel like I didn't give you enough of a chance to not have to be euthanized. Maybe you could have been rehomed, but maybe you would have severely hurt someone maybe a child. I guess I'll never know for sure, and continue to wonder if this was the best option for you, but I hope you know how loved you were while you were with me, and I hope we get to meet again someday. I know that whatever happens that God is good, and worthy to be praised in all situations even when it hurts. 

    Again, I'm so sorry, and I love you so much. You were such a good boy. 

             -Alex 

   Update and PS: 

   It looks like you left the Earth on 6/03/2024. But they told me everything went smoothly. You were with the staff that adored you, and that you loved too, and they fed you treats in your last moments. I'm sorry you had to spend Saturday and Sunday in the small kennel but I hope that they had visited you to give you extra comfort, and that you found comfort in your dog bed and toy from home. I think I'll let them keep the dog bed and toy in that kennel to bring comfort to another dog in the future who comes to the shelter. The Bible doesn't say what happens to animals after they die, so I can only hope to see you again one day, but I am at peace knowing that in your last moments you weren't alone. You weren't alone with just you and the vet, you were surrounded by love, even when they wouldn't allow me to be there. It seemed like you were a 10/10 patient even to the end. I ordered a keychain with your face on it to look at daily in memory of you. You will not be forgotten. 

                                                                                    

2023 Goals Update

   For this Blogpost I'll be going over the goals I had for 2023 and how well I accomplished them as well as adding new goals for 2024. 

1) One of my goals last year was to drink more water. This goal went pretty smoothly for the first 6ish months of the year. I bought a variety of drinks instead of soda, and made sure to have water readily available. I bought a water bottle to take to work to help with this and glass jars. I also bought soda with less sugar and cranberry juice, etc. What I found however at work is that there is hardly any time to even take a second to take a drink when you're working one on one with small children. You can definitely forget to as the clients are the number one priority and take a lot of attention. For some of them if you even look away for a second they could have bolted out of the room or knocked over something. After the first 6 months of the year I started buying soda more frequently again although I am still trying to incorporate other drinks. (Basically usually I am not drinking enough liquids in general and become easily dehydrated.) (Sometimes I even get cramping in my legs which I think is due to the lack of needed water in my body.)  I'll continue to work on this goal in 2024. 

2) My 2nd goal of 2023 was to keep my apartment more tidy. This was both a hit and a miss during the year.  A lot of the time I would get it tidy and then either not feel good due to allergies or be super fatigued after work that things would get messy again. Due to the fatigue I kept pushing off cleaning. Living alone you also don't have that accountability to keep it clean for others. When its just up to me it makes it harder. My apartment is pretty cluttered in general due to being a studio and having to find way too many places for different items. I've noticed I tend to start a bunch of different tasks before finishing one when cleaning and tend to leave things out after I use them. For example: I'll start vacuuming the living room, then notice there's a wrapper on the floor so I throw that away, then notice something needs to be cleaned up, etc. With that in mind I'm working on not doing these things, and putting things back after I use them to their designated spots. 

3) My 3rd goal of 2023 was to spend less time on my phone. I was still on my phone a lot this year I think, and could have been doing a lot better things. I got really into watching live-streamers so that didn't help my case. (We love a good parasocial relationship :/). This isn't an excuse but after work as mentioned above I felt drained and would nap most days after work and then go on my phone as I didn't want to do anything that took much thought. I know I really didn't work too hard to combat this addiction either like I have in the past. I will keep working on this goal in 2024.

4) My 4th goal in 2023 was to be more intentional about doing life with people. I didn't really accomplish this goal too well. I'm so used to doing things independently that it's my go to. I would also rather do things by myself then waste another person's time to have them do everyday life things that I could do by myself. I know this isn't true and people are happy to come along with day to day stuff. I will keep this in mind for 2024, but I don't think it's as big of a goal this year. 

5) My 5th goal for 2023 was to travel, and I think it's safe to say I knocked that one out of the park with all the traveling I did last year. Trip 1 being to Myrtle Beach with Rebecca during April for 5 days and Trip 2 being 13 days in Germany and England. I would like to do another trip sometime this year. Maybe another 5 day one to somewhere I haven't been yet. We'll see. 😊

6) My 6th goal for 2023 was to upgrade to a bigger apartment. This is still a goal. I would still very much like to have a bigger space and be able to have a dog. However that's currently not possible especially with the cost of living right now. I got a promotion at work and am making more than I have in my life, but I've been spending more than I make the last couple of months which is fine due to my savings. Thankfully I saved up some of my money for years so my balance never goes under. We'll have to see what happens. Even apartments have gone up in price a ton. 😥 I am still content with where I live currently though. Also my financial advisor moved to a different company. With a bigger apartment I could finally get a dog. Maybe 2024 is the year I'll get a dog. (I can dream.) 

7) My 7th goal of 2023 was to learn more recipes. I have definitely accomplished this goal. I've made new recipes I found online and with friends last year including: wiener schnitzel, german meatballs, chicken pesto pasta, and shepherd's pie to name a few. 

8) My 8th goal of 2023 was to spend more time with God. I feel like 2023 was an up and down kind of year for my relationship with God. I would pray and listen to worship music most mornings while getting ready for the day. I would attend church most Sundays and helped out with Cru. I drove a girl from campus to church and talked about God with her. I attended homegroup most weeks. However I rarely read my Bible which is one of the most important things you can do as a Christian. Instead of spending time with God I would go on my phone (because it didn't take as much effort). Relationships take work. I want to be excited about my walk with God again like how I was when I was first born-again. I'm still excited and grateful for my faith but it's more passive.  I got some great Christian books to hopefully help me get more excited again for Christmas, but this will definitely be a goal again for 2024. 

Again, like last year I will add to this if I think of anything else. I will add the same verse I did last time, because it still pertains, and is challenging. 

      "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of your time, because the days are evil." Ephesians 5:15-16 

2023 Reflection Post

    2023 turned out to be an incredible year. (I don't know if this is normal, but I was nervous to say if it was a good year or not in case something devastating happened last minute as a jinx for saying it was a good year in advance.) Luckily that didn't happen. 2023 was filled with wonderful adventures to new places including Myrtle Beach, Charleston, Dresden, Manchester, and Liverpool. I was promoted at work into being a Registered Behavior Technician and I traveled to Europe by myself which was my first time overseas. (Yes it was stressful but I survived.) I went to two concerts including a preshow drink and the ability to watch sound check for Phantom Planet. I also got bronchitis for the first time, and many days of dealing with terrible allergies throughout. (I blew my nose, coughed, and had more sore throats this year then any year previously that I can remember.) (The info you didn't ask for.) Besides this summary I will list the main things that occurred in each month of 2023. Throughout the year I also attended church most Sundays and was involved with kid's work for the 4th-5th grade class around once a month. I also helped out with Cru on Tuesday nights (Jan-April), and attended homegroup most weeks. 

   January

- Brought in the new year at a party at my friend Morgan's house. 

- Got bronchitis 

- Went to a Cru Leadership Conference at a hotel in Milwaukee (My friends Trae and Machaela ran the UW Parkside chapter of Cru which is a Christian group on campus, and I was one of the people to help out with Cru from the fall of 2022- the Spring of 2023.) 

February

-I got stuck in my friend's driveway. As I was backing up I got stuck in a snow drift, and also their driveway was completely frozen. It was also close to midnight, very cold, and my friend, her brother, and dad came to dig my car out and break up the ice. 

- I went to Candy Lane Milkshake Bar with friends, and had the most candy/sugar-filled shake of my life. (They unfortunately shut down)

-My brother had written a play and it debuted in Milwaukee so I went with my parents and their friends to go see it. 

-I turned 27. 

March

-Celebrated my birthday with friends at Honada's 

- Got an upper-respiratory infection 

-Celebrated dad's 60th birthday 

April

-Got blonde highlights

-Went to Myrtle Beach with Rebecca to escape the cold Wisconsin weather and see the ocean. It was freezing when we left, but ended up getting into the 70s in Wisconsin while we were gone. :P We also spent a day in Charleston. 

- My friend Trae invited me to the Youth for Christ Banquet that went over the organizations accomplishments of the year. (Racine area). 

- Went to my friend Beth's bridal shower

May

-Went to Milwaukee with my friend's Mary and Megan

-My friend Kayla had an outdoor baby shower, and it downpoured for 20 minutes. :P 

-Saw Phantom Planet in Chicago with Rebecca. Bought tickets where you could attend soundcheck and hang out with the members of Phantom Planet for a preshow drink. After the concert we stayed to talk with them as well. 

June

- My friend's Beth and Will got married

- Did a painting class with my mom at Pinot's Palate (It was a Mother's Day gift but we also celebrated Father's Day with my brother and sister in law that day afterwards.) 

July

-Went to Libertyville to visit my friend Nicole 

- Went to a 4th of July Party with church friends 

- Traveled to South Bend for our church's annual conference, OCM. I stayed with a group of girls from Cru. On our way to Indiana I ended up getting a virus which gave me a bad sore throat for the rest of the conference and achiness. 

- My friend's Trae and Machaela had a going away party. (They moved to North Carolina.) 

- Did another painting class at Pinot's Palette, this time with both mom and dad

- Helped Trae and Machaela get ready for their move

August

- Saw the Barbie Movie twice

-Got promoted into being a Registered Behavior Technician

September

- Traveled to Europe by myself and explored Dresden, Manchester, Prague, and Liverpool. I visited my friend Phil and his wife Anna in Dresden, and visited my friend Kez in Manchester. There were eight flights, a lot of bus rides, train rides, moped rides, and Ubers, and I didn't miss any of them. :P I was also briefly in Bristol, Zurich, and Amsterdam. 

- Celebrated my friend Nicole's birthday at Apple Holler 

October

- Had a movie night at my apartment where we watched "The Best of Me" 

- Went to a bonfire party with young adults from church 

November

- November was pretty uneventful. I got lunch with a few friends after church at Tacos El Norte one Sunday, and celebrated Thanksgiving at my cousin's house. 

December

- Traveled to Chicago with a few friends to explore the German Christmas Market 

- Got dinner and then saw Lovejoy in Milwaukee with Rebecca 

- Went to a Christmas themed movie night at a friend's house and watched "The Santa Clause" 

- Went to our young adults Christmas party for church and came in second place for cookie decorating. 

- Celebrated Christmas at my aunt's house and parent's house 

- Celebrated New Year's Eve with a murder mystery game and a few rounds of "Heads Up" with my parents and other family members. 

Final Days in Europe

 9/20/23 I combined the three days in Europe as they don't have as much content as the other days. The day after going to Liverpool we had a more relaxing day. I slept in longer than I meant to then Kez and I got ready and went to brunch at a place called 19 Cafe Bar. I got a smoked salmon bagel and lemongrass tea. It was obligatory that I got tea while in England. After having brunch I got to go to Primark for the first time. I had wanted to visit a Primark after hearing about them from British YouTubers I watched in high school. (Zoella, etc.). Primark was really fun and cute, and I could see myself spending some time there if I lived in England. The US equivalent to Primark is probably a mix of Target and Marshalls. Kez lives about 2-3 blocks away from the Arndale Center, which is Manchester's largest mall. We also stopped by a game/novelty store where Kez bought a puzzle which we ended up doing later that day. The puzzle was of Whitby Harbor, which Kez had traveled to before. Lastly we went into Lush. I've been to the Lush's in America, but wanted to go to one of the actual ones in England. I didn't notice any differences besides that it was a little cheaper than in the US, but so had been the jacket that I purchased 2 days prior. I ended up buying a bath bomb and Kez bought a shower bomb. I'm glad that the bath bomb was cheaper because it ended up being pretty disappointing. A bath bomb I had bought in the past had made my bath tub pretty galaxy colors (blues/purples/glitter), while this one didn't change the bath water color but smelled nice. 

    When we got back to Kez's apartment we started doing the puzzle while having "You've Got Mail" play in the background. Kez's roommate had made a Bolognese pasta and made too much so we had that for dinner. Upon hearing that we went to Primark and I described it as cute, Kez's roommate stated that cute isn't the word she would use for the store. Apparently it can get pretty crazy in there with teenage girls. So it's a good thing we went during a Wednesday afternoon. Despite looking through the puzzle box repeatedly and being sure we had gotten out all of the border pieces, we couldn't complete the border and thought for sure we were missing pieces. (As Kez discovered the next morning, we weren't missing any pieces we had just done part of the puzzle wrong. Connected too many pieces together on one side, etc.)

9/21/23  I had originally planned to travel to Wellington, England on 9/20, but decided against it. My luggage was falling apart by then, and the family that was going to host me had had an accident occur. I was going to stay with one of the Living Light Wellington elder's and his wife and their daughter. The Sunday before I was supposed to arrive the wife had fallen and broken her wrist. With her wrist being broken they wouldn't be able to take me around the area, but I could still stay there. Kez said that Wellington was relatively small without much to do especially without a car. She said that most people visiting are taken to the areas around Wellington, so I'd probably have little to do just staying in Wellington. I had originally also planned to go to Wellington to visit my friend Manu. She would have only been able to meet for a short time as she had to take her daughter in for a check up the same day we would have met up. Manu had just given birth a few weeks before, and her daughter had, had some complications, but was doing well. Manu's in-laws were also in town at that exact time to help out which is why I didn't stay with Manu. Since I hadn't planned in being in Manchester the 21st and 22nd, Kez had to go to work, so on this day I explored Manchester by myself. (In hindsight I'm super glad I had chosen to stay in Manchester longer. I had already traveled so much this trip that traveling 4 hours from Manchester to Wellington to just stay in Wellington for a super short time and do a ton more traveling just seemed like a bad idea. It was good to be able to spend more time with Kez and not have to rush and have more relaxing time.) I walked with Kez to the public transit before starting my day by first walking to the Arndale Center. Kez worked until 5 but had an hour window where she could bring me back to the apartment if I wanted to go back earlier. I had originally planned to spend most of the day at the shopping center, but thought I should do something other than be at a mall. Especially on the sunniest day I would spend in Manchester. I went into a few stores before making my way out onto the streets of Manchester. I was pretty tired this day so I wasn't much in the mood for exploring at first, but then got a second wind thankfully. I went into Black Sheep Coffee again to start my journey with a caramel mocha which I had, had two days before and then made my way towards the John Rylands Library. 

    Kez and I were thinking of going to the John Rylands Library on Monday, but it had been closed. Luckily it was open this day (Thursday). The John Rylands Library is dubbed the "Harry Potter library" as JK Rowling got inspiration for how she wanted Hogwarts to look from the library. It was definitely very Hogwarts looking on the inside. The library is located right in the center of Manchester and even looks cool from the outside. It is a neo-gothic architecture building, and is free to visit and even study inside of. The library also has a few display cases with one containing a fragment of the gospel of John. The specific fragment displayed is the oldest Bible manuscript of the Christian Greek scriptures ever found dating back to 100-150 AD. The library also tells of the history of the building, and how it came to be. The building was another one of the most stunning buildings that I saw while in Europe and pictures do not do it justice at all. 

   After visiting the library I aimlessly walked the streets of Manchester with no clear destination. It was coming up on the hour window which Kez could take me back to the apartment but I decided to stay out exploring and stay for the long haul. There was a lot of pretty/artsy things I passed on my walk. After walking for a bit I came across the Manchester canals. The area was a bit more rundown but the canals were still beautiful. The waterways used to be used to transport items like coal into Manchester. Manchester was the first ever industrial city in the world. 

   I was able to make it back to the Arndale Center area relatively easily, but I still ended up getting a little lost after wandering away from the area again towards the end of my journey. I didn't recognize where I was when heading back to the mall so I went into a fancy restaurant to ask for directions. It turned out I was like a half block away from the Arndale Center. :P. The more you know. For dinner I got food at a restaurant in the mall called "Slim Chickens". After looking it up, I guess its an American chain restaurant. Oops. Another fun fact about shopping in the UK is that they have TJ Maxx stores however they are known as TK Maxx in the UK. Another fun fact: The abbreviation for Manchester is MCR, so there were signs all around Manchester that said MCR and I love MCR. Even though they probably do love My Chemical Romance that is not what the signs were referencing. :P

   After I ate dinner it had started to rain so I waited for Kez out in the rain, luckily having had my umbrella with me that day even though the weather had been nice. Our meeting point was in front of the National Football (Soccer) Museum. We didn't go in as neither of us know much about professional soccer, but it's one of the more notable buildings in Manchester and is a fun shaped glass building. After returning to Kez's apartment we again worked on the puzzle and eventually completed it that night while listening to Kez's playlist which contained Phantom Planet songs. After completing the puzzle we walked to a nearby cocktail bar called "Be at One". The bar had dim lighting with neon signs and dance music playing. We didn't stay long but it seemed like a cool trendy place. I of course ordered a tropical drink. It didn't seem to have much alcohol in it as you could barely taste any alcohol and I felt perfectly fine afterwards. (I thought it might be one of those tasty but dangerous scenarios.) I joked about how people would usually think I'm under 21 (maybe not anymore), but realized that the drinking age in England is 18 so it that wouldn't be an issue here. 

9/22/23 and 9/23/23  Kez worked from home this day so she was able to walk me to the train station when it was time for me to go. I had bought train tickets to Bristol the night before which was a bad idea because they were way more expensive than usual. Kez made me hot chocolate before I left, and at the train station they even let her on the train to help me get my things situated before sending me off. I was able to get a bus from the Bristol Meeds train station that went directly to the Bristol airport (my 3rd time being at said airport in under 2 weeks), and thus started my journey back to the US. I bought curry for dinner at the airport before getting onto my flight to Zurich without issue. I arrived in Zurich around 10pm after leaving Bristol at around 7pm. (Switzerland is an hour ahead). My flight back to Chicago wouldn't be until around 10am the next morning so I had to sleep overnight at the airport. Switzerland is an expensive country so I wasn't able to find any deals for a hotel that wouldn't cost me over $200 for a night. The cheapest option which was still over $100 would be to sleep in an individual pod at the Swiss airport. I took my chances just settling for finding hopefully a comfyish spot to sleep at the airport for free. I was able to find a booth at a restaurant type place and all the people that were there left around 11pm. I thought there might be an increase of people that would come and have the same idea, but I was left alone, so I got a whole booth seat-like bench to myself. I had opted to have my big luggage to go directly onto the next flight instead of picking up my luggage in Zurich. It was a 12 hour layover but I still had what I would need in my carryon bag, so I had less to look after. During the morning time I made my way over to the terminal for American flights, and had to purchase more Wi-Fi. The Zurich airport lets you have 4 hours of free Wi-Fi before they charge you. Before getting on my flight I purchased two massive Swiss chocolate bars. (American chocolate is trash compared to European chocolate, especially Swiss, if you know you know). I ended up waiting at the wrong Chicago gate. Apparently their were two flights heading to Chicago from Zurich at almost the same time, however whatever gate I was at was indeed not Swiss Airlines. An employee luckily found that out in advance, and luckily my correct gate wasn't too much further away than that gate. 

     On the flight home they gave us all headphones for our individual TV screens however I'm pretty sure they weren't compatible with them because no one around me used them or used them quietly without headphones. I was able to sleep for a bit on the flight, luckily. When we were about to arrive in Chicago they made us fill out a piece of paper with our information and what we had purchased in Europe and were bringing back with us, and also what countries we had visited, along with total cost of said items. While filling it out it turned out that the 2 people next to me had been given their papers in German. They thought I must have been able to read German and could understand what it was asking, but mine was in English. It took awhile for my bag to appear at baggage claim but it was probably one of the first bags loaded onto the flight. My worst airport employee encounter happened as I was about to leave the O'Hare airport. When I had first got off the flight before baggage claim the employee said that he didn't need the paper I had filled out but to keep it with me. Once I had gotten my bags, I assumed that no one else would ask me about the papers and put them away. As I was walking out of the airport the employee ( a different one) asked for my paper. I forgot if I had put it in my big suitcase, carryon, etc. so I began searching for the paper while standing by the employee. After not being able to find it right away the employee had me stand in a different area while I looked for it. The employee must not have believed that I actually had the paper and asked me if I actually had it. I found it after a few more minutes in my big luggage and gave it to him. He seemed suspicious of me and asked me where I had flown in from, and seemed even more suspicious when I answered with Zurich. He also seemed confused as to where Zurich was located so I added Switzerland. He then let me go through with a rude attitude, and my brother and sister-in-law drove me back to Kenosha after. My sister-in-law insisted I stay up until at least 8pm that night and bought me a large caramel mocha from McDonalds. It was 12:30pm when I arrived in Chicago. It would have been 7:30pm Switzerland time, which is pretty insane. 

Thanks for reading about my adventures in Europe. It was the most amazing experience, and so fun to write these blogposts and share stories about my time. I hope you enjoyed reading as well.