glad handing in the windy city

Tomorrow morning my wife and I are flying to Chicago. My company is headquartered there and will hold its annual conference tomorrow and Friday. We have opted to stay in Chicago for the weekend to kick it with friends and celebrate our 6 year anniversary. My mother is flying into DC today to stay with the Jackal while we're away.

This all adds up to several things, in no particular order:

• For three days I will sleep past 6:30am.
• I will fail miserably at glad handing and networking with colleagues from other offices.
• Accepting said failure, I will saturate myself at the closest bar.
• My mother will spoil the Jackal (it's a grandmother's job).
• A minor exorcism will be performed Sunday night to un-spoil him.
• My wife and I will remember and embrace our husband/wife roles.
• I will expend sympathy laughter on 39 bad jokes told by colleagues.
• Suited for two days, I will be pining every second for my Citizens of Humanity jeans.
• No restaurant on the weekend slate will frown upon said jeans.
• Shoe shopping with my wife will completely turn me on.
• Weather that Chicago tries to pass off as "spring" will be constantly cursed.
• I will miss the Jackal and buy him some piece(s) of designer clothing.