Sometimes I just have to laugh at the way my brain works. I left my office building at ten minutes before noon today to get to Crunch Fitness for a 12:00 Power Yoga class. As I walked through the lobby, I noticed several streams of people coming from the other elevators – everyone was heading out for lunch! Although the crowds make it harder to walk around the downtown area, I love the solidarity I feel with other office workers when it’s clear that we’re all doing the same thing – walking in to work, running out for lunch, trying to escape the rain, heading to the gym, whatever. So what began playing on the jukebox in my head when I saw these folks walking out of the building today?  “Exodus” by Bob Marley. Ah, Bob Marley, the one and only. How about a random gratuitous photo just because Bob Marley makes me happy?

My favorite pictures are the ones where he's laughing. Anyway, although an exodus is usually no laughing matter, I found it amusing to juxtapose a more historical, serious idea of “exodus” with the stream of office-workers on their way to lunch. It occurs to me now, as it often has before, that while Bob Marley can be party music, many if not most of his songs address some pretty serious issues (last night I happened to listen to "Concrete Jungle") - but the reggae sound just makes me smile!

While I’m talking about people walking downtown, may I just say that Michigan Avenue is both one of my favorite and one of my least favorite aspects of working downtown. I try to come in on the early side these days, and I love walking down Michigan between 7-8 a.m., before the tourists are out and the main crowd is rushing to work. I’ve been continuously delighted by the special gardens and creatively attired dress forms along the “Magnificent Mile” this summer – in fact, they might warrant a whole separate post – but I don’t think it’s so magnificent when I’m trying to sprint back to work after my hour at the gym and everyone seems to be walking at this lackadaisical pace. Move along, people! Then I feel unkind because of course the tourists want to take their time and look around – but don’t they know that lots of people work in this area too?! This is why I pretty much try to avoid walking on Michigan except in the mornings. 

Exodus: movement of jah people...
Open your eyes and look within:
Are you satisfied with the life you're living?
We know where we're going!
We know where we're from.
We're leaving Babylon,
We're going to our Father land.

- "Exodus", Bob Marley