versus

So, Illinois is really different than Washington.

In Chicago you can buy liquor IN THE GROCERY STORE. Yes, I could go to the store right now and buy hard alcohol. No going to some lame liquor store (though we have though), and having to go before they close and going out of your way. Now, when I go to the store to buy carrots, gardenburgers and popcorn, I can also buy vodka. Yes, Vodka in the store.

Oh, and we don't have Fred Meyers.

Safeway is Dominick's

Albertons is Jewel.

Butter is shaped differently when you buy it in the store.

There are toll roads in Illinois.

Driving an hour is a really long way to drive.
Unless you're stuck in traffic, and then it's just like Seattle.

Bars can stay open til 4 am.

Public radio doesn't suck in Chicago.

Chicago is two time zones ahead of Washington.

There are more thunderstorms in Chicago.
But it rains less.

There are actually really cool things in Chicago. A world-class art museums. Plays/musicals that run for weeks, a natural history museum with REAL dinosaur bones, and don't forget the international museum of surgical sciences.

BUT....

In Chicago, I can't look up and see a mountain.
In Chicago, I look at Lake Michigan and it looks like the Ocean/Puget Sound, but I can't smell the salt.
When I'm in Chicago, I call people and they are two hours ahead of me.
The sun doesn't set over the water/mountains.
An Asain grocery store has to pretend to be all touristy, instead of just real.
Since democrats are so entrenched, they aren't as friendly to volunteers.

Oh, Chicago, my new city, why do you have to be so different, and yet remind me of my old home?