Chicago: great city. I had a scotch 96 floors up, interviewed Ms. Ella Jenkins (a wonderful woman, filled with laughter and music), swam in Lake Michigan, snuck into the movies, and continued to make this trip authentic. The inflexibility of the producer is continuing to show its head in sad ways. I feel as if a 4-person group has formed, and most likely for another tragic time in his life, the producer has found himself on the outside. I am continuing to find strength in my voice and convictions.

As a group we stumbled across the City Museum (a recommendation from past roadtripper Calvin), and amazing art location/playground, and a possible interview with the head artist/designer. Realistically to make this work, we would have to sacrifice an interview I lined up with a bio-diesel dude in Iowa. When we approached the producer about this a few days ago, which was the impetus for another conversation about loosening up the reigns, he said that we are not allowed to cancel an interview once it is made (sighting that we were informed of this in our first skype conversation). I told him, I understand that policy, however in this situation, having talked to the dude myself, and him being a friend of a friend, I am sure I could approach this situation without any harsh feelings being incurred; the math equations in his mind were inflexible on this front. As a group we decided to see if we could land the interview with the City Museum artist, and move from there. Once we had landed that interview, I called the bio-diesel dude, and he was in fact relieved with the change in plans. He said that he had been sort of sweating the situation, and that there were no hard feelings. He in fact said that I could stop by any time that I was back in his neck of the woods. When I informed el jefe, of our group move without his consent, he offered up the following analogy: When someone is married they make a commitment through thick and thin, and they don't just break their vows when they see something nicer/more interesting that comes along. I agree with his comment about marriage, but I told him that I do not find this to be analogous to this situation. The name of Roadtrip Nation is not marked negatively as a result of this choice, and the canceled interviewee does not feel like a cheated on wife. Although I see the importance of keeping our commitments, I also see the need to allow the group dynamic and collective inspiration to inform our common sense and ability to make things happen. The interview we have just locked down is something interesting and invigorating to the team, and I was willing to sacrifice my individual interview for the sake of the team--it feels good to have built that bond, in which the collective We (The Royal We), has been inspired to seek out an interview and to augment the path of this trip. Although I have been the one to voice this act of dissent, I am not pulling strings or acting alone--this was truly a group decision.

So it goes...