Here's a couple of bullett points on today's developments:

1) Good news! I've been published. Today's Daily Southtown Business front page featured a retail sales article I wrote after yesterday's monthly release from the Department of Commerce. I wrote the hell out of it, and I was surprised to see it boxed on the front page -- mainly because national economics stories like this are usually not published in leiu of a "trusted" wire story (AP, Bloomberg, DJNS, etc.) So, yeah. Fairly exciting.

However, it's not on the website, strangely, so I have nothing to prove it. Unless, of course, you somehow would pick up the Daily Southtown, which, I'm sure none of you do, since it's a daily publication serving the south, southwest and southeastern suburbs of Chicago. It's clippable, and that's good for me -- someone who has few quality clips.

2) Field trip to the Chicago Board of Trade and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Very interesting. The highlight: Watching my friend Dave work the Merc's S&P Options pit with aplomb and ease. For those who don't know, anyone can visit each major exchange and watch the trading safely behind glass windows.

My j-school friends were impressed that I was actually associated with one of these crazy men who choose to spend their days yelling at each other and flashing hand signs with reckless abandon. The funny thing: While standing behind the glass, I called Dave on his cell phone, and he answered. I told him to turn around and look into the glass, and he immediately stopped trading, looked and gave a few fist-pumps and a wave -- much to my, and my stunned j-school colleagues delight. Absolutely amusing. Here's to Dave.

3) Finally, it's obvious that not all news can be good.

Got a call from Dickie Cronkite. That asshole. After locking down the final three months of my Chicago lease for him, he flakes out and announces that he's staying in the Beltway for a final quarter.

However, this turns out to be a good news/bad news scenario. Bad news because I've got to scramble to sublet Studio Apartment (TM) in the less than two months I'll be here. Good news because I'll have someone to show me the ropes in a city in which I've never visited, and a "beat" in which I've never reported. So thanks, Dickie. And, thanks for nothing!

I'm sure all will turn out just fine with the apt. Shouldn't be too big of a deal. Plus, I'll be reacquainted with one of my best friends from school. Overall, the line looks like this: Dickie (-100). I'll take the money line.

An exciting day.

Take note, everyone.

It's supposed to be in the 70's and 80's this weekend. So, I've got that going for me, which is nice. Perhaps I'll imbibe some adult beverages and explore the city. And maybe, I'll spend some time with my Chicago bretheren, with whom, I fear, my time is running thin.

It's all about the journey, isn't it?