Building up the karma, brick by brick

So as you have read I recently lost a pretty nasty cat fight between myself, Northwest Airlines, and Mother Nature. Needless to say I have been a little disgruntled lately because of it. But it seems that its starting to look a bit better out there for me. In fact I even stepped up and took one for the team for a complete stranger last night. That sounds way more mysterious than I mean it to be.

Last night, standing outside the bar smoking with my friend W, our conversation was interrupted by the all to familiar Midwestern sound of car tires spinning uselessly in the snow. Turning, we saw a guy either trying to get into a parking spot or get out we couldn't tell. I looked at W - "We should help him shouldn't we?" "Yeah" he replied. And we stared a bit longer.

But we finished our smokes and trudged over to the car. Coming around to the drivers side I asked if he was trying to get in or out of the space. He motioned that he was trying to go backwards so I said we would help push.

Attempt One: We got absolutely nowhere. Walked around to back of car to see if there was a way to dig anything out with my boot. Tried again.

Attempt Two: Pushed so hard that I pretty much fell into the car and then into the snow. Not a face plant kind of fall, just a slow descent onto the knees. But at the end of attempt two we found success! The guy was able to get back on to the road and on his way.

W and I brush off our hands and head back into the bar pretty nonchalantly as though we do this kind of thing all the time. And if you live in the Midwest, you kind of do.

Because see, it's all about the karma. I don't own a car, but I did at one point and I might one day again, and if I stay in this area I guarantee I'll get stuck at some point. I'm not that big and I'm not that strong but if I'm around I will always at least try and help. It's what being in the Midwest is all about.

It's only funny because now it's summer

Once again stolen from the archives of "Overheard" I bring you....


But, More Importantly, Why Is Your Subway Outside?
Guy with luggage: What's the temperature tonight?
Guy without luggage: Two.
Guy with luggage: Two? Two! Why the fuck do people live here!?

Brown Line
Chicago, Illinois
via Overheard Everywhere, Jun 6, 2008

Winter hath come to the midwest

Or more accurately, the snow has begun. It started Saturday when every weather report and scrolling news bar highlighted the Winter Weather Advisory!! If I hadn't spent almost three decades in the Midwest I would of thought we were on the verge of the apocalypse. I did manage to raise my blinds at one point around 2 in the afternoon and it seemed quite lovely from my third story apartment. It was not doomsday at all, but that may have something to do with my location of delightfully planted on my couch, under my quilt and with my x-box controller firmly lodged in my hand as I played Gladius all afternoon.
Then came Tuesday with a forecast of a 24 hour snow storm leaving 4-6 inches in its wake. Again there was a forecasted bleak rush hour home, and again I found my trek to be not that bad. I woke up Wednesday to my first real snow of the season.
Wednesday at 7 am the world was still glistening. Most of the sidewalks hadn't been cleared yet, but the bonus of Chicago's usually annoying one way system is it allows you to walk down the center of a road to avoid snow clogged walkways. The world around me was white and mysteriously silent as snow seems to dampen sound, and my hat was only slightly wet as I trudged onto the El at 7:15.
By noon when I had to forage out for lunch, the snow was still coming. Whipping furiously through downtown's pathways my black wool coat was sufficiently white by the time I got back with my take out from two blocks away.
But by 2:00 pm my Google homepage told me the snow had stopped and my quick afternoon break confirmed that the sun truly was shining, though not for long as sunset today was 4:20 pm.
5:30 rolled around and I got off the El for my 4 block trek home. Now the sidewalks that had never been shoveled were packed and uneven. The ones that had at least been cleared at one point had a slushy layer from the hours after the morning shoveler had come through. Main roadways were clear, but the side streets were still a mess. Everything had a layer of gray over it and ominous puddles lurked at every corner. With the sun gone and the wind picking up my face was frozen within moments and even the parts of me covered by clothing were numb within two blocks. I am officially done with winter.