Oh, I Think So

What a lovely day!  Yesterday was overcast and foggy, the heavy lakefront fog of Friday evening hanging over to the next day, although the sun broke through in the late afternoon.  Today started lovely and clear, without the mid-to-upper 80s of the previous week.  There was to be birding. But not for me. Instead, I got whatever it was my coworker had and today it decided to blast through.  (On Friday I told her I had what she had, she said I didn't, I said I did, and this went back and forth as we've known each other for many years and our relationship is like that of a big weird dysfunctional family where no one looks alike and people say what they think.)  I knew it was coming so I did some needed grocery shopping at 645 a.m. and advised the birders that staying in was in order. Long story long:  things got worse, a nap was taken, I was awakened by breathing that sounded like a combo of bagpipes and maracas and it was my own breathing.  A call ...

As one of the birders said today, when it's winter in Chicago, everyone swears they hate it and they are going to move out of this town with its weird, bad, icy winters and move somewhere better, but as soon as spring comes and the sky is blue and boats drift or motor easily on the lake, everyone is just so glad to be here.  When the weather's nice, Chicago is spectacularly great, especially on the lakefront. For those who don't know, Lake Michigan is immense and it's like living on an ocean without the bother of tide.  When there's some breeze, there is very good windsurfing to be had and giant sailing vessels can easily maneuver and go great distances with ease.  It, and the other huge lakes, are called the Great Lakes for a reason.  Chicago is right on Lake Michigan.  At many spots on the lakefront, the various skylines are fantastic, and, from the shore, the lake is every bit the same.  There are beaches for swimming, several harbors for pleasure craf...

Illinois is the proven most-corrupt state in these United States, with Chicago being a very forward player in the corruption.  The expression, "Vote early, vote often," originated here.  When I first moved to Chicago, there was often a news story about someone having cast a ballot who was later shown to have been deceased for years and years.  When I'd been living in Chicago for just two years, I asked a friend in an Improv class, Al, if he'd voted that day.  "Several times!" exclaimed Al.  (Of course he hadn't, y'all.  Al is a great improviser and law abiding.)  So taking all that jolly corruption into mind, I now share that since things have gone electronic, I suspect it's mighty hard to vote and vote and vote again.  (I would've thought it was hard before, but then I am law abiding and can't wrap my head around why one vote per person isn't enough.) A few years ago, Illinois instituted Early Voting.  Instead of having to say you ...

Sometimes something comes along that we didn't know existed, or maybe we heard rumors that it might be true, or it existed but it wasn't for us because we would never be in a place or time or situation to experience it.  Sometimes things just pop up right there for us to experience or technology changes and the thing becomes a part of our lives. About 14 years ago, I was having a discussion with my sister and I said I thought it would one day get to the point where we would be able to buy any song we wanted, that any song could be made onto a musical compilation, probably on a CD of some sort.  Knowing that I am not technologically clever, she asked, "You've heard of this?" (We use very good grammar in our family.)  I said I hadn't but it wasn't hard to imagine.  If someone could make a mix cassette tape, the time had to be coming to not just made mix CDs but to buy songs individually.  Sure enough it happened.  I had nothing to do with it and I would ne...