Because I know how important it is to all (?) of you, I must report that the McDonald's at the Des Plains Oasis of the Tollway (North-South? I can't keep track) does not offer the "double cheeseburger and medium fries for $2" deal. Yeah, it'll be the death of me, but after playing soccer, my metabolism always seems a bit revved up, and convenient is as convenient does. Wendy's is still the undisputed champion when it comes to value for your money in that regard, especially since said Mickey D's also seems to have removed the actual sandwiches that were on it's dollar menu. Mmmmm...clogged arteries.

Speaking of clogged arteries on the Tollway, one sure sign that I'm (a) getting old and (b) extending my roots in the Chicagoland area is that I'm getting much better at navigating the expressways and tollways that run in and around the city. For example, while the shortest way for me to get to the Kennedy Expressway (to get to O'Hare or my Friday soccer league in Palatine), I should just take Irving Park westbound. Except that gets me on just before the Kennedy and the Edens split (which, I've come to learn, is "the junction" I always hear about in traffic reports), and I have to immediately cross three lanes of traffic or end up headed to Milwaukee, bring up memories of the Giants Stadium exit on the New Jersey Turnpike, where you have to remember it's coming up on the left or have to cross six lanes of angry New Jersey drivers in about 100 yards. Anyway, it makes more sense to take Lawrence and get on after the junction. Except that Lawrence is one lane all the way out. The solution is to take Irving Park to Elston, which then runs northwest up to Lawrence, spitting you out much closer to both expressways.

See? I can riff on politics AND give out useful information! Which would be all well and good if anyone was actually reading this.