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The city was trapped indoors when brutal cold hit, but it was my key to freedom — It’s all relative. Living in Chicago during winter is insane to some. Unlike “normal” places in the United States, it’s not a snow day unless the snow is heavy and climbs over a foot. It’s not cold until it is impossible to warm the car after twenty minutes. Not that…

It’s been a topsy-turvey year in a crazy world but you’re still here. — I want to give a big thanks to you all, my followers, readers, and subscribers. I mistakenly thought 2022 would be a better or perhaps an easier year than previous years. Ah, well. As many other North Siders have said, “Wait ’til next year.” Sometimes they’re right. I started writing…

I am fashionably late to the party because three letters aren’t enough — I want a longer first name. God knows I have a long enough surname. Alas, there wasn’t enough time to change my legal name before publication. So I carry on. My first pick was easy. A is for “About a Girl” by Nirvana The original version of Nirvana’s “About a Girl” from their debut album, Bleach fit. Cobain…

Bullying ruined my childhood. Now more than ever bullies are rewarded. — He reminds me of me before the weight of the world crushed my spirit.” — The Simpsons I didn’t laugh when I heard that line even though it’s delivered hilariously on the show. It was more of an uncomfortable chuckle followed by a sigh. …

Quick thinking saved me from a grave destination — We can set all taxis and their companies ablaze for all I care. Burn them. Except in London. They’re the exception. Otherwise, I enjoy watching the slow death of the taxi industry. Cab drivers, when they were the only game in town, were obnoxious jerks. I tried ride-sharing while mainly…

But Heirs and Publishers are Making Choices Harder — I wanted to write, read, and procrastinate with the household chores today. I succeeded with at least avoiding chores. Reading became more complicated than expected. I decided to study Ernest Hemingway’s work because I’m too verbose. Learning to write in American public schools creates problems. …

Or: How I learned to stop blindly trusting authority figures and rely on myself — It was my last session with the psychologist I call Strange. Actually, my last session had been the week before. I just didn’t know it as I waited for him to arrive. I wasn’t entirely surprised he appeared to be running late. He often canceled at the last minute. It…

Video Killed the Radio Star; Auto-tune Killed the Vocalists — “Well, that’s pretentious!” Five minutes before we were about to re-open, my co-worker asked me what music I wanted on at the front desk. I don’t ever insist on playing something I like. My music would either be offensive or too “old” to be played. …

Merry Clayton is the soul of this Rolling Stones song — It was nearly midnight when Merry Clayton’s phone rang. She heard the voice of her friend, record producer Jack Nitzsche, on the line. “Are you busy?” “No, I’m in bed.” Nitzsche wanted her to come down to the studio to do some vocals on a track. An English group was…