As I once again sit in Dan and Kandice's empty house in Chicago, It is currently 11:29pm here, 12:29pm in Brooklyn, New York - and for me - it is almost time to go home.

This has been an incredibly wonderful, theraputic, and necessary week. For seven days and seven nights, I walked away from my life at home in Brooklyn - immediately after quitting my job at the TLC - and "lived" a new life in Chicago. For the last week, I have shopped at different stores, driven down different roads, sat at a different computer desk to write a column, wrestled with a different cat, cleaned a different house - and lived with different people. I have not seen a New York newspaper, been on a New York street - or lived through a New York Minute in the last 168 hours.

To be honest, being here in Chicago for the last week has felt pretty good. I made sure that this vacation would allow me some "me time" away from the daily stresses of saving the world as we know it - and thank the Maker it has. I have actually enjoyed the last week with somewhat of a clear mind and most importantly - a relaxed brain. Since saying good-bye to the TLC Thursday night, I have not thought about what is on the AP Daybook, I have not worried about how long it has been since I checked my office voicemail - and when I heard the ever-haunting chirp of a Nextel at a restaurant last night - I didn't even instinctively grab my hip.

Besides forgetting about my life at home, I have spent the last week doing something I love - trying my very best to absorb the excitement of enjoying life in a town I would normally not be spending a week of my life in. Since I have gotten here, I have asked Kandice to let me drive anytime we had to go somewhere, even if it is only to the Cub Foods a few miles away. And when I did not drive - I stuck my head out the window like a puppy dog trying to see all of Logan Square that I can see before I go. Even in supermarkets, I would inadvertantly embarrass Kandice and the kids by marvelling at the simplest things, like the fact that supermarkets in Chicago sell fresh fish, flowers, liquor and baked goods - and that they have something called the "Self Checkout" that allows you to actually ring up your own groceries and pay for them by inserting your cash in a machine - try that in Brooklyn.

Despite how much I have loved this week in Chicago, which is my second longest vacation (the first one being my trip to Juneau, Alaska to see Montel in June of 2001), there are many things I do miss about "back home." The most obvious being my son Beavis, who hopefully misses his "daddy" as much as I miss him. There is also my good friends, my daily activities and routine - and most importantly - my mom. But while I miss my hometown and what awaits me there - a part of me would actually stay here if life allowed.

But life will not allow. So when I do leave tomorrow night, I will miss the City and the places I have seen - but much more importantly - I will severely miss the five people that I came here to live with for the last week. Kandice, who is as much of a sister to me as Laura is - and someone who I am blessed to know. Dan, who is my webmaster, my good friend - and my brother. Alexis and Mason, who are as much my niece and nephew as Joey and Jaimie are - and of course Cole - who is my dear Godson and who has brought so much joy into my life that it is indescribable. A child who hugged me nine times in a row at John Barleycorn's last night and almost made me cry in a restaurant full of people - and a child that I can't wait to see grow up into a very successful, prosperous and happy man.

With a new chapter of my life set to begin the moment that my plane lands at JFK Airport, I eagerly await jumping into my future with both feet - finally being able to concentrate on building a better life for me at home...

...even though I will desperately miss the one I have built here.

Man, do I hate good-byes.