New Year's Eve Plans

Cutter's Log - Stardate 2102.81.21
Current Song - Tony, Toni, Tone (Let's Get Down)

Monday is my usual work night. I'm hoping to get that switched to where I can work during the afternoon. I want to do something about boredom, so I'm hoping to go back to Chicago and ring in 2013 there.

I rang in 2011 at Houlihan's on East Wacker in Chicago. It was not my first choice - it actually was the Billy Goat Tavern, however they closed early for some reason.

Read about my 2011 adventure HERE

Why the Billy Goat? I have only been there twice, and first heard about it in the legendary Saturday Night Live skit. Only after the first visit did I find out about it being a Chicago media hangout. I'm just a high school sportswriter, I know, but this automatically made it a "must-go-to" every time I am in the Loop. I told myself that I wanted my picture up on that Wall of Fame alongside Rick Telander and Mike Royko. Yeah, we'll see about that ...

Unfortunately, work means I'll have to be at Elburn at 8:25 to catch the No. 516 train into Chicago at 9:50. (NEVER, EVER drive into Chicago for such an occasion!)

I'll be alone, meaning I'll be wandering around trying to find something to do, and a place to be at when midnight strikes. On my first trip, I didn't know there were special gatherings all over the place - and the admission of $100 to get into these places. Not for me, yet.

I'm hoping the BG is open and available. If not, I'm sure another plan will be hatched. I have a whole two weeks to think about it.

The BG has this new "Home Run" Cheeseburger: four patties between the bun. If I do get there, I'll try it. I even thought about challenging for the new cheeseburger record of 17 patties, just to say I had a ton of fun on the night, but that would go against this entire weight loss crusade of mine (there are followers on NISB who thought I was rushed to a hospital recently because of chest pains - rumors not true). Don't get me wrong: I can burn off a four-patty burger over the course of a day or two.

Either way, I'll be Downtown near 10 p.m. and hopefully make it back in time for the last 1:15 train to Elburn. If not, no big deal - just another exciting adventure of survival in the big city of Chicago in the overnight hours.