DJ CamelToph and DJ CropDustin on the 1's and 2's

As I left Chicago, I also left my heart. It is, and quite possibly will forever be, with 2 men on the North side. Haha!
 Let me just rewind. While in DC at the national prayer breakfast a few weeks back, I was introduced to Topher. He and my friend Chris had mutual friends so we ended up bein stuck in a room together for a bit. During that time he found out I was traveling, so he did what most people that I meet on my trip do (and probably wished they hadn't) and offered me a place to crash in Chicago if I ended up needing it. There wouldn't be much of a story if I hadn't taken him up on the offer, so it seems obviously that I did. Needless to say, this last Monday I drug myself and all my luggage up to his front door..."Mamas Home!!!"

 DJ cameltoph

So here's the thing...Topher's kinda a big deal. He's a super talented DJ that travels around the world for shows. But when he answered the door I felt like a good friend was welcomin me home (so humble). Anyways, then I was immediately introduced to his roommate, Dustin, who is his manager. Coolest guy (with the coolest beard!) and the best taste in books...definitely a kindred spirit.  I'm pretty sure it only took me those first 4.7 seconds to determine that these were some of the most genuinely kind, cool guys I'd interacted with in awhile...and FUNNY, like hilarious. (I kinda annoyed myself at how much I was laughing, but I couldn't help it!)


They got me settled and then we talked for a solid 2 hours in the kitchen. I have always felt like people take in interest in what I'm doing...the trip, the road, the adventure...and don't get me wrong, I so appreciate it. But there seemed to be something different about the way these guys engaged with me...like they liked what I was doing, but they also liked me. and I don't mean that  in an egotistical way....but as a testament to them that I felt cared for and wanted. (and if they didn't like me, then they sure are good at faking it!)

DJ CropDustin

Anyways...we basically lived the dream for 3 days. With their jobs they have a lot of work but fairly flexible schedules so we got to hang out quite a bit. We went to breakfast one morning...good God, I don't think I've had a better pancake in my life (and I'm more of a waffle girl, so that's sayin somethin!) We made Topher Tacos one night...bomb.dot.com! We watched some stand up comedy, took a few naps. One morning me and Dustin were up before Topher and we just sat and read in the living room with our coffee (silence among anyone, let alone a stranger, is a testament to somethin cool, not quite sure what, but it was impressive to me). And we all 3 just did a lot of sitting and talking. [which is when I learned about their DJ names (blog title) which if it went over your head, good for you...you have yet to be corrupted by our crude society! But if it didn't, you can get a sense for their humor (tiny bit inappropriate, but so comical!)]

Our last night we went to one of the clubs Topher DJ's for pretty regularly, Studio Paris, in Downtown Chicago. It was freezing..like literally (maybe 9 degrees) so the club was a little more dead than usual and they kept apologzing. "you should come back in the summer" "it's usually not like this.." Little did they know, I was happy to sit there with them and do absolutely nothing. Funny how when you're with the right people, sitting in an annoyingly loud room, with lights that could prompt a seizure and being surrounded by folks WAY to old to be in the club, turns out to be fun.

Maybe I WAYYYYY misconstrued it and maybe the guys are reading this now goin "YA, she definitely got the wrong idea! She is one pathetic loser!" lol. But I left a piece of my heart there because somewhere along my time with them the host/guest relationship that got me there faded and morphed into something completely different...friendship.
God I love this trip!