1 There are transgender snowmen? Who knew? I've known cold women in my life (haven't we all?) but this is pretty far out. I presume we're talking far northern Californistan and northeastern New York State, mostly.

Oh, yes, and we can't forget Duluth, MN.

2 Houston lives in Chicago, Dana. It would equally be true in Minnesota or New York.

3 Yeah, Chicago's pretty much beyond the pale, too. After all, that's where Zippy came from. And if I'm correct, even he didn't go back there.


It's not a place I'd care to spend more than ten minutes in. I'm still traumatized by driving through it during rush hour when Martha and I were migrating to Minnesota -- trying to keep two cars somewhat together. This was in the days before cell phones, or at least before we had them. I THINK we had Mapquest directions to our motel in Elgin, but I can't really remember -- that was in 1994.

4 I felt like Jed Clampett when Cathy and I visited for the day once; traffic was HORRIBLE! The Navy Pier was kind of cool, but it just wasn't worth the aggravation to me.

I like country trips far better.

That was the year we went to Michigan and stayed on the shore of Lake Michigan.  Big winery right by the bed and breakfast we were staying at. It was winter so too cold to swim, but it was nice to walk on the beach. I just wish we sjouldn't have had to go through Chicago, but it was the only decent route.

My wife's nephew lives th

5 Oops, it accidentally posted before it was time. I was saying my wife's nephew lives there and loves it!  But then he's young and a bi city is still exciting to him. I suspect he'll want to move home at some point; he's starting to sound jaded.