6:15 a.m.: Pat down by airport security

My God! The weather is perfect in Chicago -- 31 degrees. Finally, I am in a place where I can see my breath ... which means I have found a location with an ambient temperature to my liking.

The flight was short and sweet, and punctuated only by my disappointment that the snacks handed out labeled "Plane Cookies" were not actually in the shape of planes. ::grins::

I am, however, $5 richer because Paul lost a bet to me at the Memphis airport. I said we'd be targeted for a patdown and extensive search, and we were. The patter-downer woman (there's an eloquent title) was friendly, so it wasn't too embarrassing: "I do this all day, every day -- there's never a dull moment!"

I always always always get targeted for searches. I think it's the dark hair/dark eyes/olive complexion. If they say the searches are random, I call foul. Five flights since Sept. 11 ... and five searches.

Other than the way I look, I can't think of a single reason one might think I'm a threat to national security -- I'm not particularly shifty-eyed or anything, I don't think. Oh my god! What if I am shifty-eyed and don't know it?!

We spent the day shopping -- I bought two things; Paul promised he'd pick something out tomorrow. Afterwards, we caught the bus to Shedd Aquarium to act out our own version of "Finding Nemo." But we were cut short, because...

Oh look at that! It happens to be Sara Lee Foods' free admission day, which means the place is overrun with snotty, cold, complaining children! Needless to say, we didn't stick around at the aquarium long. But it was a wash because Paul was able to grab some great pics of Downtown from the museum campus.

Most exciting part of Day 1 was the cab ride to the hotel from O'Hare. Our cabbie -- whose speedometer was broken -- spent three-quarters of the trip on his cell phone while drifting across lanes and swerving to avoid other drivers. Did I mention his speedometer was broken? How do people like that keep their cabbie licenses?

Second most exciting part of the trip (and perhaps the creepiest) was finding out that FF followed me to Chicago and is staying four blocks from our hotel. She says she's here to see some stupid exhibit on Pompeii, but I suspect more sinister plans. Tomorrow, we are meeting for lunch and shopping, so if I mysteriously disappear, point the police in her direction.