50% success rate on the Chicago meetup. I managed to meet The_Jazz, but we missed roachboy at the Sears Tower (we were up on the skydeck and he was on the street) and Maleficent got held up at work. Jazz and I were enjoying a beer at the Berghoff, and my phone rang; it was the ship telling me to haul my ass back right quick as they had decided not to take as much cargo. While I was waiting for the bus to arrive, my phone rang again and the 3rd mate informed me that the loading rig had just broken down and they would be leaving as soon as they could get the boat straight with ballast and they were waiting for me, but they wouldn't wait all night!
I jumped on the express bus south and kept in cell communication with the ship every couple of minutes. Made it, but it was cutting it a little close for comfort.
Here is The_Jazz and I at The Berghoff (the first bar in Chicago to get a license (#1) after prohibition.
