Dying of heat..... but don't the neighborhood look nice!!
I grow more and more confused by the day lately..... Maybe my Dad, having been the Village Attorney, can explain things like this to me in a logical, sensible manner..... but I don't see how.
In Addison, Illinois, the city government has passed a law banning some window air conditioner units, and this is my favorite part, simply because they don't look very nice in the windows. I can't wrap by brain around that... not only on the basis that the local government or any body of government for that matter, would even entertain the thought of ruling on such an insignificant detail, but that it is rooted in a vain and superficial ideal anyway.
Seriously.... I am so angry I don't even know if I can write........
This is the first time in my adult life that I am truly conflicted about my country. I have always considered myself extremely patriotic, and that is completely different than being political and supporting the current government, because I am actually old enough now to remember presidents I have liked and those I have disliked. I am in love with what this county's founding fathers had in mind for us, their ideals and process of how keeping order and evolving civilization could go, and go well for all of us. I love being an American, and I know that I have it easier than 95% of the worlds population, and that's a lot of people. I even have it pretty good as an American. I may not be in the upper tax brackets or debt free or have some fancy degree and title to match, but I don't lack for food, shelter, heating and cooling, clean clothes (if I do its out of laziness, not resources), tv and every day conveniences, transportation, I could go on and on.... if I need or want it, I'm not without. But I am getting to the point where I feel like those ideals are being washed away, and quickly, by the local government first, and it rises up the chain until every aspect of every control on our lives may be enacted because they have the benefit and fall back of saying "well, look what they did in Addison, IL. in 2008, this isn't much different".
Having said that, I am getting to the point where I find myself in disagreement with my local governments more so than I find what they are doing to be a good thing. And I am one of those dutiful tax payer types, who doesn't fret about taxes because I feel what they give (or gave, as I am starting to turn) was worth it.... If my house is on fire, the CPD would be there in mere minutes, if I need a police officer, chances are one drives by, my city is beautiful and clean... and I used to count those types of things are really being worth it.
But lately....the pot-holes are unbearable, the condition of the roads and the regulations on which parking can take place in this city are completely out of control..... The meters are higher, the public transit is falling apart, routes are cut and prices keeps going up. You can almost get a parking ticket for the color of your vehicle in this city... and its all coming to a head with the fact that there are now people in Addison Illinois who are going to literally roast in the homes that they OWN, because someone, somewhere on some city council speaking from their central air conditioned home and office decided that "gee, that window air unit is really unsightly and I just would rather not look at it...... let's make that a crime!".
My brain can't compute that kind of decision making. It makes me doubt the entire Democratic process in this country..... its all crumbling down before my eyes because some in-human schmuck in Addison who is as deep as a Frisbee got themselves some authority along the way. Do these people feel good about this? Are they reading the headlines in THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE today and patting themselves on the back, thinking "pretty soon Addison will be looking sooo gooood!!!" Is that thought process even possible? I can't see how.
But I digress.....some of you think I am overreacting, as I am famous for doing... but a life lacking passion is simply a lacking life.... so, let's take a moment and list the things that over the months have built this camel in which the Addison-air-conditioner scandal is the straw that broke its back.
Smoking bans - indoors, fine.... but outside in a park or at the beach or on the sidewalk.... and I am no longer a smoker, and that to me is insane and not far from down right scary. Telling me what I can and can not do outside, in "public" falls nicely within the realm of a dictatorship. The only difference here is that it is not (yet) being enforced with fire power or weaponry of any kind. That is what pacifies Americans into thinking this kind of legislation is still ok, because we simply told you you can't do that but we are not "strong-arming" or "threatening" you into submission..... at least not yet.
Parking regulations - I haven't written about it yet (mostly because I am without words.... still.....) but I got a ticket for parking a pick-up truck on a residential street in Chicago. "$125 please..... Don't ever park on the street you live on again, or the surrounding streets. With Love, The Department of Revenue". So, now the city of Chicago has gotten into the business of dictating what kind of vehicle you drive if you live here. And, all this AFTER having sold me $225 worth of stickers/permits for that SPECIFIC TRUCK to park on those SPECIFIC STREETS.... it boggles the mind.
Meigs Field, an airport one day..... a bulldozed patch of dirt in the morning. The Great and Powerful Daley crept in, in the middle of the night, with bulldozers and tore up the runway..... WITH planes on the ground, that now had no figure out a way to get off the odd little peninsula behind soldier field. Community against it, Mayor for it, so its done.....
Children's Museum... now this one is big.... not big in the sense that its for the kids, all for things for the kids, keeps them out of my bars.... But a big one for the precedent it will set, and what this breach in history means for the future of this beautiful city. He is trying to move this museum from its wonderful residence at Navy Pier, to Grant Park... PARK.... I'm sorry, but what doesn't he get about the work PARK... roughly 100 years ago, a law was enacted in Chicago that the lakefront and park areas were to be kept free of building and private establishments (save the park district restrooms and small buildings needed to the parks function), and be open and available for all time to the residents and tourists in Chicago. Those parks belong to me, and John, and Christie, and the Smiths and The Johnsons down the street..... and so on.... and now he wants to put a PRIVATELY held museum on that property, and my favorite part, is he is giving them a liquor license. So, we can really see the motivation here...... and its NOT for the kids now is it. The good old fashioned Land Grab, as the talk radios are overcome with commentary from outraged Chicagoans. Its the precedent that simply can't happen here. If this goes through, in 20 years there will be no more public lake front, no more grant park, and no more parks in all the little neighborhoods from Hyde Park (will be gone!) to Evanston..... If Mayor can make a buck, he will find a way to make that buck, against all his constituents (although I guess you have to have an actual FAIR election to consider them constituents) wishes and opinions. He just does what he does... and I fail to see how that is democracy.
And that brings us to the Air Conditioners..... in short... suffer from heat stroke or install a costly central air system (if you even own and have that option) because that old window unit you have it just too unsightly for me.
That about does it for my rant today..... thinking of all those expatriated Americans living in the tropics.... wondering how soon I can join them.
Love,
Cyn
Friday, June 13, 2008
Friday, May 23, 2008
To answer the "Why the Jeep" question.......
While I was very happy to be able to replace the Toyota, although I loved it..... and be able to have a car again..... I felt that no one shared in my joy, but instead seemed a bit put-off by the transaction. After listening to comments over the last month, and feeling awkward about people's reactions, I feel an urging to give some reasons, not that I need to do that at my age, but will for those outside of my world who don't understand the choice, maybe this will help......
1.) THE LONGING: I am 34 and have never had a car that wasn't either given or sold to me at a drastically discounted rate from my Mom (God bless her), or found "what a deal" as long as you don't care what it looks like from my Dad (the Delta 88).... Again, greatly appreciated that help and those opportunities, and am very grateful to have had great cars that I could not have otherwise afforded... but now I am 34 and simply picked out a car I wanted...... for the first time in my life. And although she is 5 years old, she looks and feels like a new car to me, and that makes me feel great!
1.) THE MATH: This may not make any sense to anyone else, but the car payment (especially one that doesn't start for 90 days) is a lot cheaper than a new engine. Simple math..... if I had $2000 just lying around for an engine this wouldn't be an issue, but I don't. Additionally, why not sell the Toyota while its still worth something. The blue book on the Toyota (running, of course) is a ridiculous amount, so why not sell it before the mileage gets out of control and the rust takes over the wheel wells.... Sure I could have driven it until it fell apart, (which I DID but this still doesn't make sense to some). But then I get nothing back. Sure, no car payment in that time, but also nothing to start with once it dies either. My payment hasn't increased from car to car, and I stand to make a few thousand this way.... seems silly to do anything else.
2.) THE ALTERNATIVE: Here is an excerpt from an article in the Chicago Tribune..... I am not a brat, and I am not lazy... that is not why I went out and replaced my transportation so quickly. But this would be my CTA stop, twice a day, everyday.....
By Robert Mitchum Tribune reporter
May 23, 2008
Francis Oduro came to the United States to follow in his father's footsteps and take advantage of the country's educational opportunities to study engineering.Oduro, 22, liked living in Chicago. But he was horrified by the violence he would see every night on the news, including gunplay that was unheard of in his native Ghana, his family said.
On Wednesday night, Oduro became a victim of that same violence, gunned down along the 4500 block of North Broadway as he walked to a CTA train stop from Truman College, where he had been taking classes for more than a year. Another man, a suspected gang member who police said may have been the target of the shooting, was critically injured. Early Thursday morning, officers showed up at Oduro's home bearing the grim news that the young man had died in the crossfire. About 9:15 p.m., Oduro was walking the same direction as another man down Broadway when an unknown offender between the ages of 18 and 20 opened fire, police said.
The other shooting victim was taken in critical condition to Illinois Masonic Medical Center, while Oduro was pronounced dead at the scene. Police were examining surveillance video Thursday for evidence, but no one had yet been taken into custody, spokeswoman Monique Bond said. The news left Oduro's family to grapple with the thought that their promising young relative may have merely been caught in the middle of the violence that he so feared.
Tribune staff reporter Angela Rozas contributed to this report.
Had I known I would not have a car I would have chosen a different place to live. That's just the way it works in Chicago. I simply did what I had to do, and what I wanted to do, and there is nothing wrong with that.
That's all I have to say about that.....
-Cyn
While I was very happy to be able to replace the Toyota, although I loved it..... and be able to have a car again..... I felt that no one shared in my joy, but instead seemed a bit put-off by the transaction. After listening to comments over the last month, and feeling awkward about people's reactions, I feel an urging to give some reasons, not that I need to do that at my age, but will for those outside of my world who don't understand the choice, maybe this will help......
1.) THE LONGING: I am 34 and have never had a car that wasn't either given or sold to me at a drastically discounted rate from my Mom (God bless her), or found "what a deal" as long as you don't care what it looks like from my Dad (the Delta 88).... Again, greatly appreciated that help and those opportunities, and am very grateful to have had great cars that I could not have otherwise afforded... but now I am 34 and simply picked out a car I wanted...... for the first time in my life. And although she is 5 years old, she looks and feels like a new car to me, and that makes me feel great!
1.) THE MATH: This may not make any sense to anyone else, but the car payment (especially one that doesn't start for 90 days) is a lot cheaper than a new engine. Simple math..... if I had $2000 just lying around for an engine this wouldn't be an issue, but I don't. Additionally, why not sell the Toyota while its still worth something. The blue book on the Toyota (running, of course) is a ridiculous amount, so why not sell it before the mileage gets out of control and the rust takes over the wheel wells.... Sure I could have driven it until it fell apart, (which I DID but this still doesn't make sense to some). But then I get nothing back. Sure, no car payment in that time, but also nothing to start with once it dies either. My payment hasn't increased from car to car, and I stand to make a few thousand this way.... seems silly to do anything else.
2.) THE ALTERNATIVE: Here is an excerpt from an article in the Chicago Tribune..... I am not a brat, and I am not lazy... that is not why I went out and replaced my transportation so quickly. But this would be my CTA stop, twice a day, everyday.....
By Robert Mitchum Tribune reporter
May 23, 2008
Francis Oduro came to the United States to follow in his father's footsteps and take advantage of the country's educational opportunities to study engineering.Oduro, 22, liked living in Chicago. But he was horrified by the violence he would see every night on the news, including gunplay that was unheard of in his native Ghana, his family said.
On Wednesday night, Oduro became a victim of that same violence, gunned down along the 4500 block of North Broadway as he walked to a CTA train stop from Truman College, where he had been taking classes for more than a year. Another man, a suspected gang member who police said may have been the target of the shooting, was critically injured. Early Thursday morning, officers showed up at Oduro's home bearing the grim news that the young man had died in the crossfire. About 9:15 p.m., Oduro was walking the same direction as another man down Broadway when an unknown offender between the ages of 18 and 20 opened fire, police said.
The other shooting victim was taken in critical condition to Illinois Masonic Medical Center, while Oduro was pronounced dead at the scene. Police were examining surveillance video Thursday for evidence, but no one had yet been taken into custody, spokeswoman Monique Bond said. The news left Oduro's family to grapple with the thought that their promising young relative may have merely been caught in the middle of the violence that he so feared.
Tribune staff reporter Angela Rozas contributed to this report.
Had I known I would not have a car I would have chosen a different place to live. That's just the way it works in Chicago. I simply did what I had to do, and what I wanted to do, and there is nothing wrong with that.
That's all I have to say about that.....
-Cyn
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Do the Crossroads ever end?
That is the question bothering me today..... does life ever calm down? Do things ever continue just as they are, and as you expect them to? I used to look forward to the twists and turns.... it was a source of excitement and an exhilarating reminder that life is so very unpredictable and fragile.... but for some reason I feel differently now. The twists and turns have left me panic stricken and depressed. I guess its because if it all blew up, I had nothing to lose before. So be it..... drag myself out of the ruble and carry on..... but now things seem different, I feel weighted down and responsible for things and I am no longer just a "me" but a "we" and life that way is so much more complex.
So what to do......
It is the road less traveled that has always fascinated me, and inspired me even if I did not take it. the very thought of it would provoke new ideas and new actions and new adventures within my own world. Even if I didn't venture out to a new continent or occupation as I would like to. And in this process of aging and life changing, I realize I am a bit of a control freak.......and its funny because courage only counts when you are unsure of the outcome..... that's bravery, the unknown circumstance being irrelevant to the action you take. I think it was Winston Churchill who said "True courage is the journey from failure to failure with out losing your enthusiasm." I really like that. It resonates well when you fall on your face a second time in the same situation. I seem to be doing that more often.
I also am starting to wonder..... have I just been going about this life all wrong? ... if that makes any sense... Have I caught up to my depth and my thinking. A friend describes me as a critical thinker.... all the time... always analyzing and evaluating and debating.... and taking things so much deeper than most. She admires it, but I think its one of my greatest flaws. It makes my life harder than someone who operates on the surface and has that "take it as it is" outlook. So I find myself lonely in my thinking, and lonely in my life... not connecting at the same levels and trying to understand those that don't think like I do. So..... was I simply ahead of myself before, and now I'm current? My mom calls me an old soul, saying that sometimes its like I have lived 100 years in my heart and mind in the way I see life.... and I feel like I have, and I feel like I'm done now.
There are very few things that get me through my days, and it seems as those things grow fewer in number as I get older. So maybe I need to create replacements, or is it just time to pick it up and try life elsewhere again.... maybe its my surroundings and the longing to be somewhere else that generates that general malaise and discontent I feel. Maybe its just still too cold and its the middle of May.
I wish I knew the answer, or at least the direction.....
So, in my sense of empty hopelessness that I am struggling with today, the comfort I feel comes from the same place it always comes from...... in the words of Mr Jimmy Buffett......
"breathe in, breathe out, move on........"
That is the question bothering me today..... does life ever calm down? Do things ever continue just as they are, and as you expect them to? I used to look forward to the twists and turns.... it was a source of excitement and an exhilarating reminder that life is so very unpredictable and fragile.... but for some reason I feel differently now. The twists and turns have left me panic stricken and depressed. I guess its because if it all blew up, I had nothing to lose before. So be it..... drag myself out of the ruble and carry on..... but now things seem different, I feel weighted down and responsible for things and I am no longer just a "me" but a "we" and life that way is so much more complex.
So what to do......
It is the road less traveled that has always fascinated me, and inspired me even if I did not take it. the very thought of it would provoke new ideas and new actions and new adventures within my own world. Even if I didn't venture out to a new continent or occupation as I would like to. And in this process of aging and life changing, I realize I am a bit of a control freak.......and its funny because courage only counts when you are unsure of the outcome..... that's bravery, the unknown circumstance being irrelevant to the action you take. I think it was Winston Churchill who said "True courage is the journey from failure to failure with out losing your enthusiasm." I really like that. It resonates well when you fall on your face a second time in the same situation. I seem to be doing that more often.
I also am starting to wonder..... have I just been going about this life all wrong? ... if that makes any sense... Have I caught up to my depth and my thinking. A friend describes me as a critical thinker.... all the time... always analyzing and evaluating and debating.... and taking things so much deeper than most. She admires it, but I think its one of my greatest flaws. It makes my life harder than someone who operates on the surface and has that "take it as it is" outlook. So I find myself lonely in my thinking, and lonely in my life... not connecting at the same levels and trying to understand those that don't think like I do. So..... was I simply ahead of myself before, and now I'm current? My mom calls me an old soul, saying that sometimes its like I have lived 100 years in my heart and mind in the way I see life.... and I feel like I have, and I feel like I'm done now.
There are very few things that get me through my days, and it seems as those things grow fewer in number as I get older. So maybe I need to create replacements, or is it just time to pick it up and try life elsewhere again.... maybe its my surroundings and the longing to be somewhere else that generates that general malaise and discontent I feel. Maybe its just still too cold and its the middle of May.
I wish I knew the answer, or at least the direction.....
So, in my sense of empty hopelessness that I am struggling with today, the comfort I feel comes from the same place it always comes from...... in the words of Mr Jimmy Buffett......
"breathe in, breathe out, move on........"
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