Chicago Road Trip
I met my friend Menucha while I worked at the pot pie company. She was my counterpart at a vendor for a substantial contract, so we worked together quite regularly. We both inherited a very challenged situation, but quickly turned it around due to our partnering on the problems. Menucha’s greatest personal assets are her organization and persistence. I’ve never seen her eat spaghetti, but wouldn’t be surprised if she straightened the noodles – and maybe gave them firm instruction to the effect of “now noodles, you will get in my mouth so I can eat you” – before eating them. She’s no nonsense, which makes her very good at what she does. It also makes giving her a hard time that much more fun. I hadn’t...
Westward to the Rockies & Back
I headed out to Omaha this past weekend to work on the house, with an eventual destination of Denver. This took me through Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska and Colorado. With the exception of Colorado, those are all states that have been hit by floods. Iowa The state of Iowa smells like a marsh. I know too well what marsh smells like and that tea tree oil can help remove it from dogs, but I don’t think there is enough tea tree oil to wash the state. You can only imagine the mold, mildew, and fungus that is growing and causing the smell. Interstate 80 crosses the entire state and had been closed for several days. The area near Iowa City and Cedar Rapids was the hardest hit. Crops are devastated and I imagine the health impact from disease, mosquitos,...
A Dry(?) Weekend at the Park
It has rained from Omaha to Milwaukee for the entire week. Wisconsin is flooded in many parts, and the interstate I was planning on taking home is closed in parts. I’ve been stuck in the room all week, and my poor dog hasn’t been able to go on walks or to the park. He’s showing signs of bad behavior, so I needed to get us both out exploring. We decided to try Kettle Moraine North State Park this time. We had tried the South the past few weekends, and beside being a magnet for thunderstorms and tornadic activity, is a pretty nice area. I have been searching for a hiking trail with amazing scenery. Kettle Moraine South is beautiful, but not striking. I love the woods, streams, hills and flowers, but it’s not a Grand Teton. ...
Kettle Moraine State Park, Wisconsin
I’ve been in Wisconsin for aboot a month, and I think I know which geographic area that it resembles. Mostly flat areas with occassional hills. Calm cool streams flowing through tall grass prairies, surrounded by densely wooded areas. It isn’t like anything in the United States, but then it hit me. It bears a striking resemblence to Southern Germany… which is probably why the area was populated by Germans beginning 150 years ago. I’ve been exploring the area now that it’s just the mighty squirrel hunter and me. We spent a day driving down by the lakefront, and the next day hiking at Kettle Moraine State Park. Kettle Moraine State Park was formed by a receding glacier. In its place is left rolling hills, streams, prairies...
Adjusting in Wisconsin
I’ve been a resident of the state of Wisconsin for 10 days now and I’ve noticed a few interesting differences: There seems to be an oversupply of change machines in this area. You remember those machines that would spit out your change somewhat impersonally? And yet the cashier is still required to hand you the bills. It’s more interesting considering Milwaukee was one of the first areas to install ATM’s (or Take Your Money Everywhere (TYME) machines up here). It is cold up here. May in Omaha is absolutely beautiful, competing with September for the best month of the year. May in Milwaukee is just cold. Everything in Milwaukee comes with cheese on it. I’m certain that strict vegans eat their food topped with cheese...
500 miles with two dogs & Gus the Duck
I am a man without a permanent home. For the next few months, or until Miller and Coors decide where they’re going to host the joint venture, I’m living in temporary housing. For the next two months at least, that means I’m living in Milwaukee. Milwaukee is a town of approximately 1.5 million people. From what I had seen in my interviews, the people are great, there’s a strong city feel to the town, but the wild is just 30 minutes away. I love the thought of being able to head out to the woods, lake or mountains on a whim. No mountain’s here, but it’s not like New York or Chicago where you have to drive out of the city, then out of the suburbs. You’d think it would be relatively easy to find an apartment in a...