Last night miome and I went on a cruise on Lake Michigan where we ate good food, listened to okay music, watched the Chicago fireworks over the lake from the cruise, and then watched drunk people attempt to dance on a rocking boat. Good times.

The most exciting part though was when our fairly large cruise boat (this thing had three enclosed decks that seated at least 50-60 people each and a fourth observation deck) was hit by a much smaller boat with two decks that could have held 20 people max. I say hit by since at the time we were pretty much stationary or as stationary as a boat can get on choppy water. This was right after we'd almost gotten rammed by a sailboat that had somehow managed to avoid us. There were dozens on boats out on the water trying to watch the fireworks.

Smaller boat was one of them. The captain of the cruise ship blew the horn several times trying to warn smaller boat. Nope. Hit us. Of course, the captain of the smaller was severely displeased by this and started shouting a bunch of fairly foul names at us. This was heard by most of the passengers because we were all outside waiting for the fireworks to start. Most of us just laughed.

Well, captain of the smaller boat decides to reverse and get his boat off ours. In the process, he almost runs into another larger cruise boat. So what do a bunch of bored, mostly drunk adults do when they see this? Why they start shouting helpful hints!

"Watch out behind you!"
"Don't hit their boat like you hit ours!"
"Little bit more. Little bit more. Stop! You're close enough!"

Not good enough for the captain of the smaller boat. He manages to somehow hit our boat again. Well, the US Coast Guard ship didn't take to kindly to that. It came flying over, chewed the smaller vessel out, and made him take his vessel far away from ours. Then focused a spotlight on the vessel until they did. Then the Coast Guard boarded their vessel, probably to check to see if the captain had been partaking of some celebratory booze. We all laughed then moved to another deck to see the awesome fireworks.

As you can see, an exciting time. XD

Whoever told us that the Museum of Science and Industry was good? Lied. I have never seen a museum so full of corporate sponsorship in my life. I don't mean "Hall of Goodyear" kind of sponsorship. I mean like the model train had John Deere tractors and cars on it, the Farm technology had two large John Deere tractors, and they listed John Deere prominently on other exhibits as a sponsor. They also had whole exhibits that were quite obviously designed just for a company. For example, a whole area about how great manufacturing and robotics with Allen Bradley's name all over it.

I've also never seen a museum more devoted to trying to get money from you. Besides the usual admission, "special exhibit" and Omni theater experience you also have places within the actual exhibits where if you wanted to participate in the exhibits you had to fork over money. It was ridiculous.

I much preferred going to the Robie House, to the Oriental Institute, and the Rockefeller Memorial Chapel.

EDIT: I did forget to mention the one good thing about the museum of Science and Industry. In the farm section, they had a station where you and a partner raced each other to see who could put a milker on a plastic cow's udders quicker. miome and I stopped to watch people make fools of themselves. It was hilarious to watch a woman in a short black dress and heels squat down to do this. XD

The free trolleys in Chicago suck great big donkey dick.

My feet hurt.

My stomach needs to stop being a pain (or at least stop causing me pain).

The aquarium and Millennium Park are both awesome.

Also, the first day we were here was the day of the Chicago gay pride parade and we totally didn't know it. Oops?

Forgot that Chicago is on Central time. I'm starving and it'll be another hour before it's dinner time.

Huuuuuungry.

Today miome and I are off to Chicago for a much needed vacation. I will have limited internet access, so try not to make my friend's list explode. Bye everyone!