Back in the Bay, Away from the Babies!

Finally back in the bay area after roaming Chicagoland for nearly 3 weeks. Saw lots of friends, and the hubby had a great gig at a place he used to play at regularly. I even sang one song with him! A first!! The downside is that the bar was in Indiana, where it is still legal to smoke! So combined with staying up til nearly 4am, my throat was cashed the next day. Then we kept hopping around to friend's places, and I'd forgotten that a lot of them still smoke too! Funny how you get used to being surrounded by non-smokers out in California. By the time we went up to Wisconsin to chill out for a few days, I was pretty sick. :(  Funny how I can stay healthy when everyone has colds around me, but I get so sick from travel fatigue. I guess it's a trade off? It was a good trip, though.
Unfortunately it ended with a 4 hr plane ride with a brat behind me using the tray attached to the back of my seat as a kick-toy! (Literally.) For whatever reason, the hubby and I always end up with kids behind us - its *uncanny* how often it happens! I gotta say that most of the time, it's not so bad - some bumping into the seat, crying, etc. But they usually fall asleep. Not these kids though. Totally loud, whiny, and no manners at all. Granted I don't have kids and I know it's gotta be damn hard, but ya gotta call 'em and ya see 'em, and these kids were *brats*! lol.

So I'm grateful to just be back and enjoying the California weather (it was oddly cold and cloudy in Chicago). And the *food*! We're totally spoiled with easily accessible organic and natural foods here. Our stomachs were totally hurting from all the meat and butter-doused grub in Chicago - although some of my favorite food is still to be had there! (Best pizza, hands down folks.) I guess I just gotta pace myself when I go! haha. But it was a bit odd noticing all the differences between Cali and the midwest on this trip. When we first got back to Chicago after Japan, all we noticed were the funny differences between asia and the u.s. I didn't expect to notice so many differences just between one area of the country and another I suppose. I mean, I knew there were differences, but they seemed so pronounced. For one, *everyone* is having babies in Chicago! A few of our friends aren't, but the majority are - yet out in Cali I don't think any of our friends are. Although a lot of our friends are younger or single here... But it still seems like a very different mentality. So many people in Chicago were like "We're trying!", as in trying for a baby. And a lot of them had fertility issues - some that resolved once a certain amount of stress was removed from their life - which I think is a big factor.  I actually don't understand the mentality of 'trying' for babies. At base, it just means you're having unprotected sex, right? So why not just enjoy the fact you and your partner can do it all the time as much as you want and not have to reach for the condom or worry if you've taken the pill that day? Instead they're checking their iPhone 'fertility' apps (yes, they exist!) and probably making sure they have sex at only the most fertile hours or whatnot. *shakes head* I think it just causes way too much stress.

As you can see, the midwest trip was  very baby-centric one the whole - visiting friends with kids, pregnant friends, friends trying for kids, etc. It was just...weird to be surrounded by it so much! I think I'll just enjoy taking care of my cat before I start thinking of babies! haha.

, Awa