Yesterday I had the opportunity to visit with my Mother and Step-Father in NW suburban Chicago. It’s been a few years since I’ve been out this way and wow, what a change. Their place used to be a nice collection of homes in the middle of fields and now it’s a full-on suburban city matrix. You can see a physical manifestation in the buildings and businesses. My Mom works in the school system here and she mentioned to me that the total students in the area have increased from 1,600 in 1999 to over 7,000 now. They can’t build schools or hire qualified teachers fast enough.

It’s a stark contrast to the erosion evident in downtown Chicago where landmarks like the Sears Tower are essentially empty.

About to hit the road for points east today, I’ll likely end up in the Dayton area before the day is over.

Meatspace coordinates: N.42.118 W88.231
Ohio State’s 2006 record: 2-0 Next up: Cincinnati 9/16
Tune: Amie by Pure Prairie League
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