Okay, so…

Every time I wonder why I’ve never lived anywhere but CHICAGO, I mean even the dinosaurs were confused, asking what the blond thing walking around was doing there– surviving the winters, and DARKNESS– I think…somewhere the sun is actually shining and it’s WARM.

So, today I was happy about the sun being out, and celebrating the hot 35 degree day, but I was also thinking about Holly telling me about the flowers BLOOMING where she lives.  I looked outside at the dirty snow and mud.  Hmmm…

Anyway, I was moving the dust around, pretending to clean (it’s hard to clean when one is always looking through books), and I picked up my favorite book on CHICAGO (see below).

I opened the book and immediately fell madly in love, just like I always do whenI see pictures of the city.  Not only that, the quotes all stuck in my throat, one on top of another, because they were perfect and they were the reasons I was here and they were…me.

It is possible to become the place you live.  When that happens, there is no difference between yourself and the city, or place.  Maybe most of us do that.  I think it’s true for those who love where they are.

Obama said, “Let me tell you something.  I’m from Chicago.  I don’t break.”

I read that and my heart fluttered, recognizing the truth of it.

Studs (Terkel) said, “Chicago is America’s dream, writ large and flamboyantly.  It has-as they used to whisper of the town’s fast women-a reputation. ”

Mike Royko said, “One of the hallmarks of Chicago is that we do so many things in an original manner.  What other city has made a river flow backwards?  What other city makes traffic flow backwards?”

Nelson Algren (he loved the city), said, “Chicago is an October sort of city, even in spring.”

Seriously, who could ever argue with THAT?”

Frank Lloyd Wright said, “Eventually, I think that Chicago will be the most beautiful great city left in the modern world.”

Those are just a couple of quotes that made me see the mud in a new way.  LOLOL  Okay, I would live in Paris for awhile, that’s true.  At least I think I would.  Maybe I wouldn’t like it there, if I had all the time in the world, instead of two weeks at a time, but I really can’t imagine that.

Anyway, this, book is beautiful and for those of you who want to see what Chicago looks like, from different angles, in all weather, from different photographers…you really need to see this.

Okay, so…

I just looked at Bored Panda and there was a thing on there about the Midwest.  I thought Chicago was in the midwest, but now I don’t think it is.  All the things they said about midwesterners were things I NEVER said, or ever heard.

I admit that we do think 47 degrees is practically summer and I also admit that we sometimes get excited when we see a cow.  Having said that, the cows we see are PAINTED and standing on MICHIGAN AVENUE getting their picture taken with tourists.  But I have seen a real cow in the “country,” on the way to somewhere else…like Wisconsin, or Geneva.   We do talk about the wind making everything colder, because IT DOES.  Pot holes are a given.

I don’t know what ope means.  No idea at all.  I don’t even know what 90% of the things on that site mean.  NO ONE EVER SAID, “Y’ALL. ” I’ve only heard it once, from someone who wasn’t from here.

I don’t know what it’s like downstate, or anywhere else, but after reading the post, I’m positive that Chicago, and her suburbs, are no longer part of the “Midwest.”  Seriously, different world completely.   COMPLETELY.  When we say our neighbor we DO MEAN THE PERSON A COUPLE OF FEET AWAY from our house/apartment, not two miles away.

And when they described the Midwestern states with one word…they left Illinois BLANK.  Hahahahaha  I’m not sure why.  Maybe they didn’t want to put down corrupt, or violent, or beautiful, or skyscrapers, or FABULOUS.  Whatever the reason…we got nothin’.  🙂

The one thing we do sometimes say is, “You guys.”  But they didn’t mention that.  I think that’s just a Chicago thing, or it was, when I was growing up.

Picture of Chicago from:  Pixabay

Third largest snowfall in Chicago history…the last picture is Emily’s house. It’s going to keep snowing until 11 p.m.

Snow…

We, in the Chicago area, are supposed to get 11, yes, ELEVEN more inches of snow, starting this afternoon around four.  That’s on top of the snow already on the ground.  And more is coming.

What fun.  Not!

A friend of mine called and said they are warning people that if they go out tonight to be sure and have food, water, blankets and a flashlight in their car.  It’s never a good thing to hear that.

Apparently Mother Nature has been playing with us, leading us to believe that this was going to be one of the best winters ever.  She started out with a fall ice storm and then calmed down and things have been blissful.  Now, however, she’s decided that she’s been nice long enough, and all bets are off.  Sigh.

It seems ridiculous that we can’t steer the planet. I mean then we could just turn it toward the SUN, once in awhile.  It only seems fair.  But no. The planet pretty much does whatever it feels like doing, and we’re just along for the ride.  I mean it’s not as if we can go anywhere else, right?  I still can’t believe we all live on a rock flying through space and all we do is kill everything.  How crazy are we?  Never mind, it was a rhetorical question.

Is it spring yet?

Photo:  Aditya Vyas
Unsplash

Sheep in the yard…

sheep in the yard

hard for a city kid
to imagine

there were no
wooly
ewes
or
lambs
grazing
when I looked
out of my window

not in
Chicago

no fuzzy friends
baaaaaaing
behind the
apartment buildings
or bungalows
not a single sheep
in any of the
alleys
or
standing on the
street

just squirrels
sitting on our laps
begging for
whatever we had
to eat

so squirrels
are the
ones
we loved

we would have loved
sheep too
if we had
had any

but all we ever had
were

squirrels

A few of Chicago’s giants…I LOVE them so much. (reblog from a couple of summers ago)

Image

Chicago…

All Chicago Public Schools will be virtual, at least in the beginning, and maybe for the entire year, depending on how they feel the safety situation is.  Kids are testing positive, so are teachers.  Apparently teachers were talking about striking (again), because they don’t feel it’s safe to bring kids into class rooms.

Catholic schools will be open.  Kind of like the people who won’t wear a mask.  They showed a classroom with tables pushed together and chairs all around it.  Right next to each other.  Not a good plan, at least not right now.

Many of the suburbs have closed grade and Jr high schools for the entire year.

The problems are enormous, to put it mildly.  I feel bad for everyone involved.  They have to get computers and internet service to low income kids and the logistics are, well, difficult at best.

 

Chicago…

One hundred people were shot over the weekend.  Fourteen dead, including toddlers.  I don’t think anyone can understand why these things keep happening, unless they’re in it, part of it.  Looking at it from outside, it won’t make any sense.  It can only make sense to those living in the war zone, set up by the people in power, who decided to keep an entire segment of the population cut off from many of the things others have access to.

Because of inequality, greed, hatred and power…these things happen.  The results are often used by the ugly power people to falsely prove that the people they step on, deserve to be under their feet.

This kind of treatment, and lies, is done to, and used against, all segments of the population the white patriarchal machine wants to keep down.

 

Picture: Pixabay

 

 

 

 

 

Chicago…Our beautiful flag is on the right…

Chicago has an ATTITUDE.  I’m sure every city does.  The ATTITUDE, at least for some of us who were born and raised here, and never left, is one of, “OH YEAH?  TRY ME.”

That Chicago Attitude is reflected beautifully in Mayor Lori Lightfoot.  She’s a perfect representative of the city and what it stands for.  She is professional, soft spoken, brilliant, dedicated and composed.  And today, when a reporter asked her what she would do if trump sent in the national guard, her arm shot out and she said, more loudly than I’ve ever heard her speak, “That’s NOT going to happen.  We already have lawyers working on it and we aren’t even sure he can do it.  What does sending in the feds even mean?  He likes to bluster.”  When the reporter asked, “But what if he does?”  Lightfoot said, “It’s not going to happen,” and moved on.  I loved her so much, in that moment.  She was the city.

trump hates Chicago.  When Emanuel was mayor, and trump was coming after undocumented workers, he threatened to ,”Send in the Feds,” and take anyone he wanted.  Emanuel, very calmly, but with that Chicago smirk, said, “Try it.  This is Chicago.  Just try it.  And,” he said, “The Feds are already here.”

Chicago is a sanctuary city.  trump shut up and that was that.  Somewhere, I have the cartoon of Emanuel saying, “Go ahead.  Try it.”

Here’s the thing.  I’m way too old to actually fight.  But I still have the attitude.  It’s an in your face attitude.  That’s a dangerous combination, age and attitude, but I count on the fact that most people don’t want to hit older women for mouthing off.  So far, so good.  My ATTITUDE, just seems to fly out of my mouth, whenever it feels like it and my aggressive posture does the same thing.  It’s an automatic reflex, which I’m trying to control a little, but I think it’s a losing battle.

When the people who represent the city, don’t back down and scoff at threats from the president, or anyone else, I am SO happy.   Chicago is a place that puts it’s money where it’s mouth is.  We aren’t afraid to do the right thing.  That’s how we grew up.  Just because I’m older, doesn’t mean that I’m different.   You couldn’t hang around with the kids I did and be afraid.   That was unacceptable.

Chicago is a truly GREAT city, even though it has enormous problems.  It can be dangerous, brutal and deadly, but it can also bring people together and show off its beauty.

It’s tough.  It has that attitude.  But we have a reputation for being FRIENDLY, and we are.  We are a lot of things.  But most importantly, we don’t frighten easily.  We stand together, when we have to, and smart government officials, from elsewhere, know to leave us alone.

I’m so very proud of our governor (a man I don’t like) and our mayor, for standing up to trump.  I’m so happy to be a Chicagoan.    When Lightfoot’s arm shot out and she raised her voice today…it was as if someone had just handed me a hot chocolate lava cake with vanilla bean ice cream.  I wanted to say, THIS IS OUR CITY AND IF WE DON’T WANT YOU, YOU CAN’T COME IN.

I know that sounds stupid to many of you. It even sounds stupid to me.  But that’s how I grew up. That’s how I feel.  This isn’t just the place I’m from, it’s who I am.  Those feelings do not diminish over time.  The Guardians of the City are doing their job, I’m good with that.

 

 

*I do not represent all Chicagoans.  No one does.  This is my personal point of view.  I know you know that, but I wanted to be sure that you did.  Attitude depends on a lot of things, where you grew up, who you are, what kind of personality you have, how you interrupt life and the things around you.  Some people aren’t attached to the city.  They are afraid, or just sit back and relax.

As for me…I could stand on Michigan Avenue, across from the Art Institute and just inhale the exhaust, look at the buildings, The Bean, the people, and charge my batteries.  I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS PLACE.

Okay, so…politics in Chicago…same old, same old.

There is a petition to get BILLIONAIRE Gov. Pritzker out of office.  They want to “RECALL” him.  I think that’s a great idea, but when I read WHY they want him out, I didn’t see the reasons I wanted him out.  I want him out for conflict of interests, (he owns interests in Pathgroup, which is doing the covid testing in IL) and other interests.  I want him out for sending Illinois construction workers across state lines to build his huge house in Wisconsin and for his family for traveling back and forth, for trips to Florida, because he has “animals” down there.  I don’t know what the “animals” do when they aren’t there, but the state was on lockdown, except for his wife.  I think he has financial interest is the company hired to make masks, as well.  He said he didn’t know he had interests in those places, that other people take care of those things, but he didn’t DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT when it was brought into the open.  He’s VERY wealthy and has dodged paying taxes, by taking toilets out of rooms, so he wouldn’t be taxed.  A BILLIONAIRE ripping off the city for taxes, which he raises for the people who have little.  Horrible.

Here’s the thing. The things people put on the petition, are all about not”protecting the people,” by locking things down earlier, for saying that pot shops are “necessary,” when other things weren’t and for the ever popular, RAISING TAXES, since we ARE the state that pays the highest ones.

I read a few of the comments…taxes, and other stuff and, someone from downstate writing about how the city gets the most money.  I really hate that.  WE HAVE ALL THE PEOPLE and ALL THE PROBLEMS, we SHOULD GET MORE MONEY.  OMG, have those people EVER LIVED HERE?

Seriously, that just pushes all my buttons.  It’s not country vs city, it’s common sense vs whatever they are thinking.  Over 9.2 million people live in Chicago and the suburbs, compared to 114,694 in Springfield.  So, I will NEVER understand why they hate us.  I’d LOVE TO SEND THE PROBLEMS THE CITY HAS, to them.  I would vote to give them more money if they just took all of them.

Anyway, that’s a thing that will never end.  We’ve had 189 homicides in Chicago since the beginning of the year.  I think Springfield has had 3.  Housing, crime, just keeping the city running is a huge endeavor that they don’t seem to understand.  Anyway, that’s why one guy wants the governor out.  I don’t care about that, I care about his hypocrisy and lies.

I mean we’er used to corruption but this is ridiculous.  They can’t hide it like they used to.

I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.  I hope they get him out, so that other politicians will think harder about what they are doing.  They have well over a thousand signatures, so far.

Chicagoans just put up with so much and they they get pissed off.  Mayor Bilandic wasn’t reelected because he didn’t get the snow off the streets fast enough.  Never mind that it was a huge blizzard.  LOL  And another governor left the city during another huge blizzard and went to Florida, leaving the city in a desperate mess, while he was laying on the sand.  He did return, but only because of the outcry from the people,  but was bitching when everyone turned on him for running away and only thinking of himself when the city was in trouble.

And so it goes.  We will just have to wait and see…like everything else.