Things Not So Bad

Some bloggy thoughts.

I teach youngsters for a living and I am continually impressed by their resolve and courage. They are plenty smart but one thing I have learned I think is that character you can never have too much of, while intelligence you need enough of but after a certain amount it is almost irrelevant, if you are not an astrophysicist or something.

I just returned from a short trip to Chicago. Always refreshing to hang with the different generations. My grandmother is moving into a retirement place and was giving away old books. I took a super old copy of Sherlock Holmes, Hound of the Baskerville's that was printed in 1901. She's read the book five times. Amazing. I also took a copy of Mein Kampf printed in 1942 in English. Also, an old Charlie Brown graphic novel and a few pulpy Fu-Manchu stories.

Chicago seems like the most normal and livable of the great American cities (NY and Los Angeles being the other two). In a parallel life I could see myself living there. Although, I'm not sure I'd last through the winter knowing what I know about California. I think Henry Miller was right when he talks about people living in warm weather climates...once you've lived this way, it seems slightly insane to live where weather can be such a burden.