Pete Nickeas

CHICAGO –People in Chicago drive like it’s a competition where MY destination, no matter where, is far more important than YOUR destination.

It’s the most democratic sport in the city because cars are so ubiquitous that seemingly everyone can participate.

Within the confines of a four lane highway, generally speaking, it matters not if you’re driving a hooptie on a quarter tank or a new sports car. You can be a seasoned veteran, an all-star even, but the 16 year old girl texting on her two-way may prove to be your fiercest competitor.

Everybody can play.

And everybody has a strategy. My younger brother Mike says he strives to be a defensive driver by staying ahead of the flow of traffic and using the “weaving” technique. He will see how close he can get the front passenger wheel well to the neighboring car while passing on the left and in a seamless motion jump right in front of the vehicle he was passing while continually accellerating.

I’m a fan of driving at a steady pace that exceeds the average speed but not by much. I also believe the safest technique is to be extremely deliberate and decisive while driving, ensuring that each lane change is planned out and excecuted with confidence and authority.

Others like to irritate and antagonize for the sport of it. It’s my opinion that in those situations, cooler heads prevail.

This realization came to me while driving between Erin’s house and my father’s house, which are about 50 miles apart. Forty-seven of those miles are on the highway and with Erin sleeping I had ample time to observe the driving habits.

Surprisingly, it is very similar in Wisconsin.

But for real man, four interceptions?

Last night was pitiful. It doesn’t seem there’s a bit of clutch about the Bears so far.

Only one game, I know.

But man, how do you win when you throw four picks?

You don’t.

I really felt deflated last night. It was going well, just had to trust the solid Bears D to hold ‘em. It was not to be though.

But, on the up and up, I do feel like a new season is here. For two reasons. First, football marks the beginning of fall. Second, its been getting down to about 40 degrees each night. COLD!

1. Being presumptuous.
I think, when someone’s presumptuous, it’s because of a few things. Part of it is because they lack humility. When someone’s demeanor is so self-assured that they give off an air of invincibility, its … well, it’s not a good look.

2. Bad pitching performances.
Gavin Floyd got rocked something fierce yesterday. He went four and a third giving up nine hits and 6 runs (though only *cough* five were his) and walked five in the process.

But the beauty of a pitcher’s duel! The thwack of a 12-6 curve snapping into the catcher’s glove conjures the smell of hot-dogs and fresh cut grass. When a pitcher throws a gem, life is right. It’s working.

Which is why seeing a pitcher get shelled and pulled mid-inning is so bothersome. Pitches aren’t located except the meatballs, and that’s when hacks like Rod Barajas can ruin your day.

That’s not how baseball is supposed to be! It’s supposed to be Greg Maddux shutting a team down for seven and a third. It’s Randy Johnson throwing at your head and spinning you around before the slider freezes you in place. It’s Mark Buehrle throwing a no-no and facing only 27 batters, picking off the only batter he walked - disgraced ex-cub Sammy Sosa.

That’s how life is supposed to be. Not a shellacking from the effing Blue Jays.

3. My Transportation Planning class.
This is totally my fault. I took a class I shouldn’t have and now I’m dealing with the consequences.

There’s a 25 page paper due in a week or so (well, just the presentation of it) that I’m not overly concerned about, but who wants to do a twenty five page paper about the power of politics in transportation planning? Not me.

I love the topic, it’s not that. It’s the structure of a class, I think, combined with the fact that it’s likely my last class for a long, long time. I don’t like online courses but I figured, it would allow me more time at my internship. So I sucked it up.

Now I’m just going to have to do this last homework assignment, bang out this paper, and be done with class and school for a very, very long time.

4. Volatile personalities
I don’t like shifty personalities. I dislike them a lot.

I can get along with anybody. If a person is unpredictable and likely to go off-the-chain at a moment’s notice, I can still work with that person and carry on a fully functional professional relationship.

But I can’t deal with people who are calm one moment and off the handle the next. I can be around people who are violent if I know that’s how they are.

One of the things I enjoy about the spring is being able to smell again. You can’t smell shit except smog and unhappiness in the winter.

I like smelling fresh-cut grass, and freshly watered grass, and flowers on a breezy afternoon. And, coffee in the morning when it’s kinda cold but you have the windows open. What I do not like smelling, though, are the Bradford Pear trees. Those are the ones that smell like … shit. Only for a few weeks.

The problem is, the bloom is some kind of beautiful. For real. Gorgeous. But when the flowers go away, so does the smell. So deceptive :-/

I also enjoy that at random ass times, baseball is on. We’re situated in a weird market, apparently, so we get Sox, Cubs, and Cards games and the occasional Kansas City game.

And also, we have a fridge with some beer and some peanuts, though I don’t keep those in the fridge. Plus, The Office is on! HELLLLL YEAAAAA