To Drive the Cold Winter Away

Man, it's winter like a mofo in Chicago. It's not cute like 11 feet of snow in Oswego, NY-although I lived that nightmare twice as a kid and "cute" isn't the right word, though the dickheads in the national media would have you point and laugh like Oswego is in a shake-up snowglobe. Here it's just been alternately as cold as a snowman's dick, like it was last week, or miserably snowy and blizzardish, like today. I prefer the snow to the cold, because at least when it snows it's not as cold and you don't have to wear seven layers of clothes just to get to a Goddamned train.

Also, another reason I love my hometown:Chicago has the best snow removal in the world. By 8:00 this morning the Loop streets were clear and clean as a whistle. Amazing. The streets in Rogers Park were even pretty clear. (Snow removal issues changed the history of this city. Jane Byrne was elected mayor based mainly on the fact that during the blizzard of '78 the snow removal situation in Chicago was terrible. She ran against incumbent Michael Bilandic in the primary and said "Elect me and I'll fix it." They did, and she did.) It was easier to walk in the street than on the untouched sidewalks (thanks, douchebag neighbors!) so I trudged in the street instead. Wearing a layer extra and the winter boots in the driving snow makes a three-block walk seem like seven miles, yo. But it's a pretty good leg workout. I have to venture out again tonight to record Teapot Scandals for future consumption, in Andersonville. Not too far from home. Hopefully I'll be able to bus-and-train it instead of having to walk that figurative seven miles. I'd much rather sit at home and just wear the cat on my head. That way he's warm and I'm warm.