Thoughts about Chicago

I've been to Chicago a few times over the years -- at least, to the Loop area. It's a wonderful city, home to the Bears and the Cubs, loaded with some awe-inspiring architecture, filled with wonderful friendly people, and of course home to Marshall Field's department store.

Well, I guess I can't really call it just a department store ... it's much more than that. In its prime, it was the quintessential store for downtown dwellers, the place where you could fine practically anything and everything you needed. Even after its acquisition by Federated, it still holds a place in my mind of what a real department store can and should be. The efforts to "Macy-ize" it have not been successful, and I hope they never are.

That being said, it's also winter in downtown Chicago. There's supposed to be a high tomorrow of 24 degrees with snow in the offing and a white Christmas just around the corner.

I live in southern California. I won't see a white Christmas here, but I will go hiking this afternoon in the foothills basking in the 65 degree temperature. Later this evening I'll sit on my back patio, sip a nice Shiraz, and catch up on some last-minute Christmas cards.

I don't have the big city atmosphere of Chicago, but I do have compensations.

Life is good.