31 May 2008

Animoto Video

30 May 2008

Greetings from one o' them "I" states


Scott and I left Boston out of Back Bay at around 12noon. On the train. As in Amtrak.





Lovely boarding platform, eh?



There were only 2 cars and I couldn't sit with Scott on the 5 hour trip to Albany, NY. Not really my idea of a fun ride. Scott met a nice kid from Tufts that was taking the train all the way back to MONTANA. Weirdo.




Scott and Quincy watching the rest of "Good Fellas" during the lay-over in Albany.



The next train was bigger (ie. more cars), had a dining car, lounge car, and more leg room. That didn't make the next 16 hours suck any less however. We did meet 2 guys from Sweden that were pretty cool and ended up sharing a table at dinner. They were making their way over to the west coast. Dinner was the end of the festivities for Jessica however. Sleeping sitting up has never been in my arsenal of cool abilities, and it sure could have come in handy on this trip.




Indiana. Maybe?




Finally! Chicago, Union Station.



We did lots of different stuff while we were there like spend time with Scott's family and take a little day trip.


I saw my first soft shelled turtle at a Nature Center we stopped to check out. I like to call him Edwardo.



Now for the money shots.


Hallway O' Card Catalogs at University of Illinois Urbana-Champagne. What is the (supposed) number 1 LIS school in the country doing with all these card catalogs?!?


They were everywhere!



This is the real reason why we came however.


The Underground Undergrad Library. It's hard to tell, but that building is really just a door into an entry way with an elevator and a stairwell. Both go down.


Cool court yard in the center of the library. Two stories...down.

There is a reason, however for building their Undergrad Library Underground. They didn't want it to cast shade on a corn field. Shit you not.


It's a VERY important corn field.



The other really cool place we visited was The Field Museum in Chicago.




I saw Sue. She's a T Rex. In fact, she's the most complete T Rex in the WORLD. That they found in South Dakota. Go figure.


And a pretty view of Navy Pier for good measure.



Besides our trip to Gino's East for some spectacular deep dish pizza that's the bulk of our trip. It was fun.

I will never take a train for more than 10 hours TOPS again. Ever. I don't care. You can't make me. And what the hell's with the NO WIFI?!?! Bastards. Uncivilized I tell you.

18 May 2008

As requested

As my friend Emilie (who needs to update her blog) requested, here is an "after" picture to the previous post. Damn do they smell nice.