tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77652784381261446092024-03-21T01:49:54.623-07:00Blog: Chris LoydChristopher Loydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12406224790720542509noreply@blogger.comBlogger59125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765278438126144609.post-44031566174173295572022-09-27T19:08:00.000-07:002022-09-27T19:08:19.653-07:00Move: to Madison, WI (Day 2000)<p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"> Hello friend, strangers, and bots!</p></div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;">
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</p>
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September 27, 2022 is the 2000<sup>th</sup> day of living in the
Madison area. In April 2017 I moved from Houston to Madison, and have
blogged about the transition.</p>
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</p>
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</p>
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For Day 2000, instead of writing about Madison or Houston, I will present more personal topics. If you want to just read about
travel and see some photos, then you <a href="#Food">can click here</a> to skip to that part.</p>
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</p>
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Let’s focus on good things that have happened, or lessons learned.</p>
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</p>
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1) Gratitude Journaling.</p>
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</p>
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Gratitude journaling has a surprisingly good effect on one’s life.
For about a month I wrote daily:</p>
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</p>
<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>
Positive emotions (if any; described the emotions and their
circumstances)</li><li>
Negative emotions (if any; described the emotions and their
circumstances)</li><li>
Successes (if any)</li><li>
Efforts (one at least tried something today, right?)</li><li>
Changes (in oneself, others, or both)</li><li>
Three things to be grateful for that day.</li></ul>
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</p>
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One challenge was finding three <i>different</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
things every day to be grateful for. Writing down “family, friends,
and food” every day was not good enough. Finding three different
things every day forced one to think about anything that one could be
grateful for. And, wow. No matter how depressing the news, there was
always something positive to appreciate.</span></p>
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</p>
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2) Fun exercise is better than...exercise that you won’t do</p>
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</p>
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In the summer and fall of 2020, I jogged five days a week. I made an
exception when there was lightning. Despite this habit, it never
became enjoyable. Jogging in warm, rainy weather was fun. Once. When
temperatures fell enough to make the roads icy, I stopped jogging and
never resumed it. What seemed like a temporary decision for became more
permanent.</p>
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</p>
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Three forms of exercise have been kept up as a habit:</p>
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</p>
<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>
Dancing</li><li>Skiing</li><li>
Rowing (on a machine, indoors)</li></ul>
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</p>
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If you have not yet tried any of the Hustle, Rumba, Salsa, Line
Samba, the Foxtrot, Cha-Cha, or Single Time Swing, then you are
missing out. Each dance uses different leg muscles, and you realize
which muscles you rarely use. That said, each dance requires good
posture, and most require holding your arms such that you maintain a
“frame”.</p>
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</p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">One of the most fascinating outcomes of learning to dance is that of
becoming more observant of music. A great deal of Top 40 music can be
danced with the Hustle or Cha-Cha. Slower-paced popular music might be danced
with the Rumba. Music too fast for Hustle or Cha-Cha can be danced with Single Time Swing. </p><p align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">I’ve only danced Salsa to Salsa music, which
requires listening to the piano, not the bass or the drums, to know
when the first beat occurs. Likewise for Line Samba, only I just
follow what the rest of the crowd is doing. Foxtrot is danced to
music that you probably hear in 1940s movies, movies taking place in
the 1940s, or heard at odd hours on Saturday afternoons on
public/college/small independent radio stations.</p>
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</p>
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As for skiing, unless you <a href="https://www.skidxb.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">go to Dubai</a>, you have to wait for
winter. Based on prior winters, there are three recommended ski
hills:</p>
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</p>
<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>
<a href="https://tyrolbasin.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tyrol Basin</a></li><li>
<a href="https://www.skigranitepeak.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Granite Peak</a> </li><li>
<a href="https://www.spiritmt.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Spirit Mountain</a></li></ul>
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</p>
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Tyrol Basin is the closest and smallest of the three. It is worth the
30 minute-or-so drive from the western part of Madison.</p>
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</p>
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Granite Peak is in Wausau, about two hours north of Madison. It is
larger than Tyrol, and has taller hills.</p>
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</p>
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Spirit Mountain is in Duluth, Minnesota. It’s about 6 hours away by
car, and worth the drive. The trails and scenery are the best of the
three.</p><p align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQaTULSpf5R6XN-hqvV_0V_3bJsFRXabsYrF0HTjKpYcilIJGn0E1mdq0685Dy1tVoZ9sKggwQKJ4hDlPzLRrEyi5hpWNab5_p3lRXw2XxjCsCCr3qzniVAvpvuEuFY92QneP1crCJdrOzc6aEWRnd15A7XeCPUYWxq10-KNC1LT78LjHASu0HUadf/s4160/Spirit%20Mountain.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQaTULSpf5R6XN-hqvV_0V_3bJsFRXabsYrF0HTjKpYcilIJGn0E1mdq0685Dy1tVoZ9sKggwQKJ4hDlPzLRrEyi5hpWNab5_p3lRXw2XxjCsCCr3qzniVAvpvuEuFY92QneP1crCJdrOzc6aEWRnd15A7XeCPUYWxq10-KNC1LT78LjHASu0HUadf/w365-h274/Spirit%20Mountain.jpg" width="365" /></a><i> </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Spirit Mountain.</i><i> </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The easier trail veers off to the left.</i></div>
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There are other ski hills relatively close to Madison of course, such
as Cascade Mountain and Devil’s Head. Both are farther away than
Tyrol, and neither take Indy Pass.</p>
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</p>
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Indy Pass sells a ski pass that gets you two lift tickets per ski hill
that is in the Indy Pass network. At current prices if you visit at least
three different hills, and redeem two tickets per hill, then you’ve
saved money using the ski pass.</p>
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</p>
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I’ve used Indy Pass at Sundown Mountain in Dubuque, Iowa, and Pine
Mountain in Iron Mountain, Michigan. Sundown Mountain is good if you
live in Dubuque, and is the rough equivalent of Tyrol Basin.
</p>
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</p>
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Pine Mountain is a bigger than Granite Peak, but less complex than
Spirit Mountain. Pine Mountain and Spirit Mountain are both about 6
hours away from Madison. Given a choice, I lean towards Spirit
Mountain. If you lived closer to upper peninsular of Michigan than to
Duluth, then your decision might be different.</p>
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</p>
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As for rowing, a relatively cheap rowing machine can be a good
introduction into an exercise that you can do indoors during
thunderstorms or blizzards. It’s also easier on your knees, and
uses your upper body. Starting with a cheap machine is advisable. If
you enjoy rowing, then you will learn what you want in your next,
more expensive rowing machine. If you do not enjoy rowing, then you can
simply sell the machine (or give it away), and not lose very much
money.</p>
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</p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a id="Food">
3) Food and Travel</a></p>
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</p>
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<span style="font-style: normal;">In 2020 I made a mid-year
resolution: to buy groceries only at Asian grocery stores for the
month of July. It became quite the challenge to figure out breakfast,
lunch, and dinner. Eventually, the diet became one of eggs or </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baozi" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><i>baozi</i></a><span style="font-style: normal;">
for breakfast, and curry dishes for lunch and dinner. The main
takeaways from that experience are that both curry bricks and
buckwheat noodles are good.</span></p>
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</p>
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Also, bread. One time during July I went to Pick-n-Save to buy
something that was not food. The first thing I noticed was the smell
of bread. Yummy, yummy bread.</p>
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</p>
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Since 2020, I’ve traveled to Duluth, Chicago, Door County, Dubuque,
Indianapolis, the lower peninsula of Michigan, and have taken Amtrak
to San Antonio.</p>
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</p>
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Blurbs of each city (and Amtrak) follow:</p>
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</p>
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Duluth: recommended for <a href="https://www.spiritmt.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Spirit Mountain</a>, the <a href="https://glensheen.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Glensheen Mansion</a>, and <a href="https://www.mnhs.org/splitrock" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Split Rock Light House</a>. Duluth is a trading city
that has seen better days. It is as far northwest as you can go and
still be in the “Rust Belt”. The freeway into town looks as if it
was built in the 1960s.</p><p align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZQ60pinDsooLoEZcHdV9upuvVEITpDzOA9GV6BLokBdVhqgD2fXxMytBUI8d2D85zE-Y-S_GgtH1Bv7HrDNtMinffx98qOzHF0YVErrwNe9ao2IdwSQbaRBD7snp7B5Khi2hzIb5HTSldvMu3BIofhOayYIVC7q9VJ6xhEykk8ly8w22QYdlBHKRq/s4160/Glensheen%20Exterior.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZQ60pinDsooLoEZcHdV9upuvVEITpDzOA9GV6BLokBdVhqgD2fXxMytBUI8d2D85zE-Y-S_GgtH1Bv7HrDNtMinffx98qOzHF0YVErrwNe9ao2IdwSQbaRBD7snp7B5Khi2hzIb5HTSldvMu3BIofhOayYIVC7q9VJ6xhEykk8ly8w22QYdlBHKRq/w365-h274/Glensheen%20Exterior.jpg" width="365" /></a></div> <i>Glensheen Mansion.</i><i> </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>A bright, beautiful day.</i></div><p></p><p align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmNTszZG8FNNZO7J88HWg5GWCPzympC7toCVV4n-Jl-8NNU3RAkCkZesF2iolJUtvKmG9eGBIM2ssNvNZzWKiAT3DI5VHkEqxVx720d6_NOtrMtRw1n4gkyiH5WUUYmcsxaUn1CN1CQoG2Oe_wyu9-Tlbhi1tx6QG2Ynpr_rfsAqd-ceCSFadXhE8Q/s4160/Glensheen%2001.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmNTszZG8FNNZO7J88HWg5GWCPzympC7toCVV4n-Jl-8NNU3RAkCkZesF2iolJUtvKmG9eGBIM2ssNvNZzWKiAT3DI5VHkEqxVx720d6_NOtrMtRw1n4gkyiH5WUUYmcsxaUn1CN1CQoG2Oe_wyu9-Tlbhi1tx6QG2Ynpr_rfsAqd-ceCSFadXhE8Q/w367-h275/Glensheen%2001.jpg" width="367" /></a><i> </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>View from the Top of the Stairs at Glensheen Manson.</i><i> </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>It was a bright day, which made finding the right balance between
brightness and contrast difficult</i></div>
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<br />
</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbmt9fI02PovaqxE4EU7k-10JoP6XInhRfprG7QBwQZJNXaQfbskjnw-OdcoVK2hTlwJe5b2tAUWGfaFPPI6fNPpFkhn20I4iN-wdx1fs9K8UHHJ8eAGbil8sw7GpLs1Ka3Q_Ax7sVXLBGrC6IyodevmPFe8ndXQ6v7VF5UHBmWDZLAIv7e30GuIFM/s4160/Glensheen%2002.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbmt9fI02PovaqxE4EU7k-10JoP6XInhRfprG7QBwQZJNXaQfbskjnw-OdcoVK2hTlwJe5b2tAUWGfaFPPI6fNPpFkhn20I4iN-wdx1fs9K8UHHJ8eAGbil8sw7GpLs1Ka3Q_Ax7sVXLBGrC6IyodevmPFe8ndXQ6v7VF5UHBmWDZLAIv7e30GuIFM/w370-h278/Glensheen%2002.jpg" width="370" /></a><i> </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>In the Sun Room(?)</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Even when light came in from t</i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>wo
sides, getting the brightness and contrast right was difficult</i></span></div>
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</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglcsO4OwKg8Np2EEFpa4z4wlbpp6gjuni5BDM6I0GWCapo-uUDct7PtfYY55hIj3axKSRNmIAKTsxKAo69o9OVPsMroX-aZ1jZIyVLNCQjttZqsGZUiBsbw10wvcRHUhAqNmhU5THi_CyfZoXSXSNyUoIVV1FeXrJqHWQdHwnWVH0SKPp6FpMaJ7a0/s4160/Split%20Rock%20Light%20House.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="513" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglcsO4OwKg8Np2EEFpa4z4wlbpp6gjuni5BDM6I0GWCapo-uUDct7PtfYY55hIj3axKSRNmIAKTsxKAo69o9OVPsMroX-aZ1jZIyVLNCQjttZqsGZUiBsbw10wvcRHUhAqNmhU5THi_CyfZoXSXSNyUoIVV1FeXrJqHWQdHwnWVH0SKPp6FpMaJ7a0/w384-h513/Split%20Rock%20Light%20House.jpg" width="384" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Split Rock Light H</i></span><i>ouse</i></div><p align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">Chicago: if the Midwest had a capital, it would be Chicago. It is the
transport hub of the region. Its food is excellent.
</p>
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</p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Family was shocked to discover that the nachos at <a href="https://www.tacopub.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Broken English Taco Pub</a> on E Lake St were the best nachos we had ever had. The secret: do
not use refried beans for the nachos. Use black or non-mushy Pinto
beans. Refried beans makes the tortilla chips soggy.</p>
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</p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The <a href="https://www.fieldmuseum.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Field Museum</a> is overwhelming and wonderful. People suggest that
you need two whole days to visit it, and they are right. If you like
such things as dinosaur skeletons and dioramas of animals in their
respective habitats, then you know how can you spend two days in
Chicago.</p>
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</p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The Bean is simple and surprisingly attractive.</p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimYSC0jruSFxcFEWtCnB-4mRwTyZyPBTzZO3QbvimBELJk5kHEpAwNhdC86qHKE4WzfYDl4zksPSHsgmNiI8dZX2ga69XbC6QE81QhjV6is1T_faNZ3CrcPHO53XNYXeqdKxBI9Ujq3TiWARItDE12Z3rRpc639NcEN1jvBhbiKEXdLp3amsWQqMKZ/s4160/The%20Bean.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimYSC0jruSFxcFEWtCnB-4mRwTyZyPBTzZO3QbvimBELJk5kHEpAwNhdC86qHKE4WzfYDl4zksPSHsgmNiI8dZX2ga69XbC6QE81QhjV6is1T_faNZ3CrcPHO53XNYXeqdKxBI9Ujq3TiWARItDE12Z3rRpc639NcEN1jvBhbiKEXdLp3amsWQqMKZ/w379-h284/The%20Bean.jpg" width="379" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The Bean</i></div><p align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Downtown Chicago is populated and prosperous. There is a significant
amount of new construction. Middle-class people appeared to not
merely work in or near downtown, but also to live right outside of
it.</p>
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</p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The <a href="https://www.wendellaboats.com/Boat-Tours/chicagos-original-architecture-tour/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">architecture boat tour</a> is highly recommended. Going by memory,
the oldest buildings date to about 1900 (plus/minus 20 years). The
tour ends with a short jaunt out into Lake Michigan to take in the
skyline.</p>
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</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5zVNUI885jb_qTKTR5wnKOjbpEh82ZbW3Y3rQo6iRh8vad1TaXqdrRU9-Gza9LIHX5smuInFeB0kem4ChLAX2kLMVfl7fIcIYUUACA313W6f_igc3_4R4OUwNfyi1WPNAeIGtdr4BZA-xupjY9q7FHgPRT_YP-_qmlHdJg7SteL9k2raVmwcyc967/s4160/ChicagoArchitectureBoatTour01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5zVNUI885jb_qTKTR5wnKOjbpEh82ZbW3Y3rQo6iRh8vad1TaXqdrRU9-Gza9LIHX5smuInFeB0kem4ChLAX2kLMVfl7fIcIYUUACA313W6f_igc3_4R4OUwNfyi1WPNAeIGtdr4BZA-xupjY9q7FHgPRT_YP-_qmlHdJg7SteL9k2raVmwcyc967/s320/ChicagoArchitectureBoatTour01.jpg" width="240" /></a><i> </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Detail on One of Chicago’s Many Beautiful Buildings</i>
</div>
<p align="center" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIuHYT89Megz0itgiIq0nrxlpjZKzwfz6w-NxcFuT9gV_WzboHLGLUkxTLGGDLnRbEBPCoRqO-tIVvXWpb3QNtrEG9NFI7moSyDtmMbYFHxZAYEITNPnKj8RSr7eKzowYLNuIeizepLBWqghs6F1B9B1uhTp4B102XEwzueLcWsNblrTgjheso2OMU/s4160/ChicagoArchitectureBoatTour02.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIuHYT89Megz0itgiIq0nrxlpjZKzwfz6w-NxcFuT9gV_WzboHLGLUkxTLGGDLnRbEBPCoRqO-tIVvXWpb3QNtrEG9NFI7moSyDtmMbYFHxZAYEITNPnKj8RSr7eKzowYLNuIeizepLBWqghs6F1B9B1uhTp4B102XEwzueLcWsNblrTgjheso2OMU/w370-h278/ChicagoArchitectureBoatTour02.jpg" width="370" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Chicago has buildings that follow or hug the river’s edge</i></div>
<p align="center" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCiMbQ-kyH3Ka1bDjyGr7n-Fb83W_RzWkuvsK883ZbEHM9n6zS-ohTtoOvphAFCU9Ou_u5BD2ukBKbB3IdXD-mnPh_51zYRuvX0rs68WI3HfbiscOseaatweJWDO0HJOT-VkrqVxfLF1Q_VgZgtBR4IwOTNeiiCPPW0ou_SXA66M78YliUHgG0FxwJ/s4160/ChicagoArchitectureBoatTour03.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCiMbQ-kyH3Ka1bDjyGr7n-Fb83W_RzWkuvsK883ZbEHM9n6zS-ohTtoOvphAFCU9Ou_u5BD2ukBKbB3IdXD-mnPh_51zYRuvX0rs68WI3HfbiscOseaatweJWDO0HJOT-VkrqVxfLF1Q_VgZgtBR4IwOTNeiiCPPW0ou_SXA66M78YliUHgG0FxwJ/w360-h480/ChicagoArchitectureBoatTour03.jpg" width="360" /></a><i> </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Public Art</i>
</div><p align="center" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguJfS2MIdrvRVez13-9ll_UwW-do_zTVg7LvmVtglEIEjS5JfpFUQjTs5EZF_eusbFeNX59vu1NhVDtoeqcSRNhUnZexF8HtkvYmEyFO1UcbUQQksw2Ndq3QpxlGxEIt1mLcK-moiPKj54QddcnsxNXEHoANnR9MtRtxQ7E2BtbkeYogaE8LVnNB8p/s3132/ChicagoArchitectureBoatTour04%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3116" data-original-width="3132" height="369" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguJfS2MIdrvRVez13-9ll_UwW-do_zTVg7LvmVtglEIEjS5JfpFUQjTs5EZF_eusbFeNX59vu1NhVDtoeqcSRNhUnZexF8HtkvYmEyFO1UcbUQQksw2Ndq3QpxlGxEIt1mLcK-moiPKj54QddcnsxNXEHoANnR9MtRtxQ7E2BtbkeYogaE8LVnNB8p/w372-h369/ChicagoArchitectureBoatTour04%20(2).jpg" width="372" /></a><i> </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower) is the tall building on the
left</i>
</div><p align="center" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKvC5rgSLbciVoPcMFf0JZSZqcioCJ3o8va23XQLCyCUHkf7PP-6yYP4-UJwFgdaNoFTZTzwybKQFe9LiwFlK6P63LrplSIEmJAKRasaW194ny1kuI6GqcWrXRqaEGYoPsu7wTQQ6v4gyOBlO-IIPIlHKwIZOvrK6LpzfIgoCgjV7R1gBo079TOhxP/s4159/ChicagoArchitectureBoatTour05.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2132" data-original-width="4159" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKvC5rgSLbciVoPcMFf0JZSZqcioCJ3o8va23XQLCyCUHkf7PP-6yYP4-UJwFgdaNoFTZTzwybKQFe9LiwFlK6P63LrplSIEmJAKRasaW194ny1kuI6GqcWrXRqaEGYoPsu7wTQQ6v4gyOBlO-IIPIlHKwIZOvrK6LpzfIgoCgjV7R1gBo079TOhxP/w372-h190/ChicagoArchitectureBoatTour05.jpg" width="372" /></a><i> </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Downtown Chicago Apple Store</i></div>
<p align="center" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Door County: You’ve probably noticed on drawings or depictions of
Wisconsin’s state boundaries that eastern Wisconsin has a
peninsula. The peninsula juts out into Lake Michigan, and most of it
is in Door County.</p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It is very touristy. Recommended places to visit are <a href="https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/parks/rockisland" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rock Island</a>,
<a href="https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/parks/newport" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Newport State Park</a>, and the <a href="https://www.ridgessanctuary.org/visit-us/range-lights/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Baileys Harbor Range Lights</a>.
</p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Rock Island is car-free, and hosts a light house and a boat house.
The boat house features runic inscriptions, and a small museum. It’s
better than you think.</p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYgb383W_SsYrwxo8N5NljQJARfQv5AkfOfcz1VDdvQ1F0UC83lgyLRgQPj6Yytm5BFupWWueNXWPJE9qceJPEqoLZTNZwZyzEa1Z1qcw0H0IRIGOkVU5O1cvdfDJyvuRfmereT9sbwiiadD4Qn5-nJ8ONfx4iF3bkxBLlf3ZD_O2FhBvnvN6Umv3q/s4160/Fireplace%20at%20the%20Boat%20House%20on%20Rock%20Island.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYgb383W_SsYrwxo8N5NljQJARfQv5AkfOfcz1VDdvQ1F0UC83lgyLRgQPj6Yytm5BFupWWueNXWPJE9qceJPEqoLZTNZwZyzEa1Z1qcw0H0IRIGOkVU5O1cvdfDJyvuRfmereT9sbwiiadD4Qn5-nJ8ONfx4iF3bkxBLlf3ZD_O2FhBvnvN6Umv3q/w369-h277/Fireplace%20at%20the%20Boat%20House%20on%20Rock%20Island.jpg" width="369" /></a><i> </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Runes at the Fireplace in the Boat House on Rock Island</i></div><p align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Newport State Park is a Dark Sky park. Perfect for watching meteor
showers. Or, for looking in the wrong direction and seeing no meteors
while hearing the crowd go “Ooooh!”
</p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">The Baileys Harbor Range Lights look
like something out of the 1990s CD-ROM game </span><i>Myst</i><span style="font-style: normal;">.
The Range Lights are part of a larger park, that one walks through on
a series of flat, simple wooden bridges. The effect is pleasant.</span></p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Dubuque: Situated on the Iowa side of the tri-state area (the other
two being Wisconsin and Illinois), is Dubuque. At first glance, it is
a town of red-brick buildings, with hills in the background. Most of
the modern construction is on the other side the hills. The most
surprising thing about Dubuque is its Italian food. It’s among the
best I’ve had.</p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Indianapolis: Went to this city because a Van Gogh exhibit was
occurring at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. The city is about as far
north as you can get and still hear Southern accents. Its downtown
Civil War monument commemorates the Union. Lots of motorcycles.</p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Lower Peninsula of Michigan: The fourth time I went to Michigan, it
was to the lower peninsula. I still have not yet been to Detroit. The
airport does not count. The lower peninsula consists of lots of
freeways, some of which are new (or newly repaved). Most roads are
bumpy. The most charming towns are Frankenmuth, Owosso, and Holland.
In Frankenmuth, Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland is a large store
that also includes a display of nativity scenes that were carved by
artisans from around the world.</p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Many Michigan towns had left-turn lane signs that were boxes hung
over the intersection. Along with at least one cop car that
used a single rotating flashing light, the place felt like the 1960s.</p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The “1960s”, as an infrastructure era more so than a cultural
moment, comes to mind especially in places that aren’t Madison or
Chicago. Although, even in Madison, one drives to downtown much as
one did before freeways.</p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
During Christmas and New Year’s 2021/2022, I took Amtrak from
Chicago to San Antonio and back again. The train route was the Texas
Eagle. It cost more money and time than a flight, but was overall a
more relaxing way to travel. Paying for a room includes three meals
per day, plus the first alcoholic drink of the evening. You can also
help yourself to coffee and bottled water. The food itself was okay.</p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you take an overnight train, I recommend paying for a room, and
bringing ear plugs. Since trains travel on the same ground as cars
and trucks, you pass through hundreds of (a thousand?) railroad
crossings. All night long: ...clang clang clang CLANG CLANG CLANG
clang clang clang...clang clang clang CLANG CLANG CLANG clang clang
clang…</p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The scheduling of the Chicago-San Antonio train is such than one
sleeps through the Arkansas and Missouri Ozarks, and sees rural Texas
and Illinois in the daytime. The train makes many stops between
Chicago and San Antonio, serving rural communities in ways that
airlines don’t. One may see Amish (or other Plain) folk onboard.</p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR7NiViRsqwLjryOnRS7xUUXYEQ1xb_ZoKmq2U4biGSMj6j9L37vxrN6vxPU4OrOq_jRS48kQ6BugewIqdn8MrY8SPluHNSy-02vANs_5YJy9fm6jYgKklZpOeYmPe5yUVU5syzMZjphMGOwNNjrqPHTrCQ6x9ktCSOJ-X8KJqlcEbWu1CUlHnX6j9/s4160/Rural%20Illinois.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR7NiViRsqwLjryOnRS7xUUXYEQ1xb_ZoKmq2U4biGSMj6j9L37vxrN6vxPU4OrOq_jRS48kQ6BugewIqdn8MrY8SPluHNSy-02vANs_5YJy9fm6jYgKklZpOeYmPe5yUVU5syzMZjphMGOwNNjrqPHTrCQ6x9ktCSOJ-X8KJqlcEbWu1CUlHnX6j9/w373-h280/Rural%20Illinois.jpg" width="373" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Rural Illinois From the Train</i></div>
<p align="center" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1f2Zz_l6OhOAwriDXtZG5NnnbwiyD_5PvSGpOBAP6T5juTqIujDu_BkniYdsK2-O7VjvjkXMTQCzVrSLAVsG7wxkCFepGM2lEjSQ7TCbxGgNcSs4gF1Sth2xAHw3H6dAM-m9pPE_ChcAroDsvReXLdedZyEB-pwtkFRPI55pK0qzv9UuV0dceqZ3G/s4160/Rural%20Texas.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1f2Zz_l6OhOAwriDXtZG5NnnbwiyD_5PvSGpOBAP6T5juTqIujDu_BkniYdsK2-O7VjvjkXMTQCzVrSLAVsG7wxkCFepGM2lEjSQ7TCbxGgNcSs4gF1Sth2xAHw3H6dAM-m9pPE_ChcAroDsvReXLdedZyEB-pwtkFRPI55pK0qzv9UuV0dceqZ3G/w378-h283/Rural%20Texas.jpg" width="378" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Rural Texas From the Train</i></div>
<p align="left" class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Overall, taking the train is worth it if the train itself is a part
of the trip, and you have a lot of time to allocate.
</p><p align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</p>
<p align="left" class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
That’s the Day 2000 update folks.</p>
<p> </p>Christopher Loydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12406224790720542509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765278438126144609.post-27180512030846350492020-03-28T13:16:00.001-07:002020-03-28T13:16:41.928-07:00Learn: JapaneseThe following post is an edited version of a speech that I gave at <a href="https://2953.toastmastersclubs.org/" target="_blank">Capital City Toastmasters</a> (Club 2953). As a result, it may sound chattier or cheerier than prior blog posts.<br />
<br />
<i>Konbanwa!</i>
<br /><br />
How many of you know what that means? No cheating!<br /><br />
"Good evening!"<br /><br />
In what language does <i>konbanwa</i> mean “good evening”?<br /><br />
Japanese.<br /><br />
I am learning to speak, read, and write Japanese. I am going to tell you about the research of learning a foreign language. I’m also going to tell you about the specific challenges of learning Japanese. Then, I will tell you about the tools that I am using to learn.<br /><br />
First, the research. According to the <a href="https://www.state.gov/foreign-language-training/">Foreign Services Institute</a>, to learn
Japanese would require 2200 class hours, or about 88 weeks. They claim that that is how much a student would need to reach a “Professional Working Proficiency.” That is twenty-five hours per week every week for more than a year and a half.<br /><br />
Imagine having a part time job where you learn Japanese. Sounds fun, doesn’t it?<br /><br />
Before I forget, the Foreign Service Institute is part of the State Department. So, they have some experience with training diplomats.<br /><br />
Since learning Japanese is a part-time job, how best to make use of that time?<br /><br />
Believe it or not, there is a book entitled <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/481876.Principles_of_Language_Learning_and_Teaching" target="_blank"><i>Principles of Language Learning and Teaching</i></a> by H. Douglas Brown. Brown wrote, “in the case of second language learning, it appears that contextualized, appropriate, meaningful communication in the second language seems to be the best possible practice the second language learner could engage in” (76).<br /><br />
In other words, learn the foreign language in a context that makes sense to you. Brown talks about how cognitive psychology research shows that “meaningful learning” is when new material relates to something you already know. The process is one of building or expanding.<br /><br />
So that is a big-picture approach to learning a foreign language. How about what that means in more practical terms? How best to schedule your learning?<br /><br />
An <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0956797616659930">August 2016 article</a> in the journal <i>Psychological Science</i>
may provide some advice. The research team led by Stéphanie Mazza showed that practicing a foreign language right before you go to sleep, and reviewing the same material right after you wake up, is better than going through a lesson upon first waking, and then repeating it before going to sleep. In other words, learn, sleep, learn again is better than learn, go through your day, learn again, and then sleep.<br /><br />
So, you have a meaningful context, and a schedule. What about the language itself? What makes Japanese so difficult?<br /><br />
Consider that it has three writing systems. The first writing system you learn is <i>hiragana</i>. <i>Hiragana</i> is about as close as you get to an alphabet in Japanese. <i>Hiragana</i> is often used for children’s books, verb endings, and sentence particles. Remember <i>konbanwa</i>?
<br /><br />The image below shows what <i>konbanwa</i> looks like in <i>hiragana</i>.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKrva9Y07fA9HIlgtj5MgKz6A29dfYQSrIPqi1E3GDtHGVpam5hcuoABEMTP1nqbVM1lVPJN9K3d51gHSFXfaImMcVl82Tdr8xsfCyS2thDGNeYOJWERITwKUOvkV1AI9J9ldcZluR17U/s1600/konbanwa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="471" data-original-width="819" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKrva9Y07fA9HIlgtj5MgKz6A29dfYQSrIPqi1E3GDtHGVpam5hcuoABEMTP1nqbVM1lVPJN9K3d51gHSFXfaImMcVl82Tdr8xsfCyS2thDGNeYOJWERITwKUOvkV1AI9J9ldcZluR17U/s320/konbanwa.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
As you can see, it resembles cursive. Each hiragana symbol represents a syllable. You can sound out unfamiliar words, much as you would in English.
<br /><br />
Then, you learn <i>katakana</i>, which is often used for foreign words, or for emphasis. For example, in the image below, Madison is written in <i>katakana</i>.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQqpqrb3sUhCts6hEA4XTvzF0_pRw2RINiCYx98K1ukVKhu-FtLSfMPyj59GFKwbnqND7LAEyabAIduLt6YM9dTOF1jHczI3TuhwUzH31fc_-n6Omo2EdQaOGouhETP3YJcCwpf-9tXJ4/s1600/Madison+in+Japanese.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="470" data-original-width="890" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQqpqrb3sUhCts6hEA4XTvzF0_pRw2RINiCYx98K1ukVKhu-FtLSfMPyj59GFKwbnqND7LAEyabAIduLt6YM9dTOF1jHczI3TuhwUzH31fc_-n6Omo2EdQaOGouhETP3YJcCwpf-9tXJ4/s320/Madison+in+Japanese.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-style: normal;"><br />
<br />Note that the <i>di</i> sound in Madison is written with two symbols. Computers or block writing will separate out the <i>di</i> sound. However, when you manually write out <i>madison</i> in <i>katakana</i>, the smaller of the two symbols is put a little bit under the larger one.
<br /><br />
Finally, you learn the <i>kanji</i>. <i>Kanji</i> consists of thousands of characters that represent nouns, verb roots, adjectives, and so on.
<br /><br />
An important <i>kanji</i> to learn is in the image below.<br /><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipZaZLMf0919SBif5W7BMLv_7b7Q6x_iOkDtadelQKl4ebQ1BKsNRf4KnQ6BVFlDQLnHVytHEtWQX2jrdkbdcIoqdrnff4cYFZSl5jTUL9YYo1ph89RFNGe9qozrL_uGWjzU7hngOaP8E/s1600/Nani.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="356" data-original-width="279" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipZaZLMf0919SBif5W7BMLv_7b7Q6x_iOkDtadelQKl4ebQ1BKsNRf4KnQ6BVFlDQLnHVytHEtWQX2jrdkbdcIoqdrnff4cYFZSl5jTUL9YYo1ph89RFNGe9qozrL_uGWjzU7hngOaP8E/s200/Nani.png" width="156" /></a></div>
This <i>kanji</i> is pronounced <i>nani</i> (nah-nee) and means...what? Seriously. It means what.
<br /><br />
That is all just the writing system! What is spoken Japanese like? We’ve all heard Japanese before, and may recognize that many sentences end in <i>desu, desu ka, -masu, </i>or -<i>mashita</i>. What is the pattern?
<br /><br />
Without going into too much detail, what you are hearing are verbs, or their respective conjugations. Japanese sentences often end with the verb. Instead of saying, “I live in Madison,” you say, “</span><i>watashi wa madison-ni sundemasu</i>.” Literally, that translates into “I, the subject of this sentence, Madison, object of this sentence that pertains to the time or place of the subject, live.”
<br /><br />
Think about that for a moment. Imagine thinking of subjects and objects, and then the verbs that show relationships or action. Thing thing happen!
<br /><br />
Given all the time you need to learn this complicated language, what tools might you use?
<br /><br />
If you have a phone, you can download a program called <a href="https://www.duolingo.com/">Duolingo</a>. It is free, supported by advertising, and offers Japanese, German, French, Latin, Welsh, Navajo, and so on. While it is a free way to get you started, the retention (in my experience) is only okay.
<br /><br />
If you want to expand on Duolingo, I recommend <a href="https://www.pimsleur.com/">Pimsleur</a>. Pimsleur is an audio-based program. You can get the CDs from the library, or download the MP3s. You listen to a conversation, and then a coach will guide you through the dialogue. For the most part, it is call and response.
<br /><br />
What next? You’re using the free app on your phone. Pimsleur is teaching you how to order beer. I suggest finding a meetup group where you can with native speakers. In fact, I go to <a href="https://www.meetup.com/Madison-Japanese-Language-Meetup/">a Japanese language meetup group</a> at the University of Wisconsin.
<br /><br />
It was there that they recommended a workbook - <i><a href="https://www.yesjapan.com/">Japanese From Zero</a></i>. This book shows you how to read and write hiragana. It also flat-out tells you the grammar rules.
<br /><br />
With these four tools, the Japanese language took on a new depth. The Duolingo lessons began to remind me of words I had learned on Pimsleur. When I listen to the Pimsleur lessons, I can almost imagine how the words are spelled in hiragana. Speaking with native Japanese speakers, as well as other American learners, encourages the formation of new, original sentences, not memorized ones.
<br /><br />
To summarize, learning Japanese will take well over a year, even if you devote several hours per week. The language is best acquired through
meaningful context. Ideally, lessons occur right before bed, and are repeated upon waking.
<br /><br />
Japanese has three writing systems, and a different word order than in English. This requires the learner to memorize thousands of symbols, and think about topics in a different sequence.
<br /><br />
Fortunately, there are many tools to help you learn. Some of them are free. Others cost a little money, and some involve spending time talking with native speakers.
<br /><br />
<i>Domo arigato gozaimasu</i>
Christopher Loydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12406224790720542509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765278438126144609.post-79171601241825105432020-01-11T13:17:00.001-08:002020-01-11T13:17:27.629-08:00Decide: To Drive Your Own Car or RentIt’s that time of year again. The road trip to wherever. What if you’re a mathematically-minded, budget-conscious person?<br />
<br />
You’ve probably wondered if renting a car would be cheaper than driving your own. Wonder no more.
The post below describes one approach.<br />
<br />
I warn you though, it’s complicated. Ready? Keep reading:<br />
<br />
First, look at how much a new version of your car would cost. Not the car or truck you want; your current vehicle. Let’s say a new version of your vehicle costs $30,000. If you wish to be more accurate (or more pessimistic), then figure out much you actually end paying. In my case, after paying the interest on the loan, the taxes, and the title fee, the final cost is often about 20% more than the listed sales prices. So, in this case, assume a total cost of $30,000 + (0.20*30,000) = $30,000 + $6,000 = $36,000
Second, look at how long cars like your last. Look up used car listings, and sort by “most miles”. You probably should exclude the extreme cases of someone driving a 1,000,000 miles by the time the vehicle is 10 years old. Once you start finding several models for sale that have 300,000 or 200,000-something miles, then you might guess that your vehicle may not last too much beyond that. Finding old vehicles with lots of miles is easy if you are looking for something like a Ford F-150 or Honda Accord. Both of these vehicle have decades of history behind them.<br />
<br />
There is a counter-argument: There are many mechanical differences between a 20-year-old version of your vehicle and a new one. Looking at how many miles a 20-, 30-, or 40-year-old version may not apply to yours. If you have a lot of evidence for an alternative method, then use that to estimate how many miles your car will last.<br />
<br />
What if you drive a vehicle that has no history behind it? No 20-year-old versions exist. In that case, look at analogs: similar-sized vehicles from the same manufacturer, similar technologies (hybrids, Hemis, or whatever) in different manufacturers. If all else fails, then you could ask yourself and your friends what’s most amount of miles they’ve ever seen in a car that they’ve driven themselves.<br />
<br />
However you find that number, let’s say that you find a couple of 25-year-old versions of your car for sale with 300,000 or so miles on them.
With these two numbers ($36,000 for the cost of a new version of your vehicle, and 300,000 and the reasonable maximum that your vehicle can be driven), divide the cost by the miles. In this example, the math is $36,000 / 300,000 miles = $0.12 / mile.<br />
<br />
Then, you have maintenance and repairs. This can be as complicated and detailed as you want. I would suggest including at least the oil changes (done every 3000 to 6000 miles), and the 15,000, 30,000, and 60,000 mile services. Your owner’s manual may have different service intervals. I recommend going up to 60,000 miles (or 5 or 6 years), but not much further, for two reasons:<br />
<br />
1) To capture the expensive maintenance services. The recommend services to be done at 60,000 miles may cost well over $800 (as of 2019). That’s over 1 cent per mile.<br />
<br />
2) Getting cost data for maintenance intervals beyond 60,000 miles or 5 years is tricky. Often, the maintenance recommendations have changed (or will change), compared to what is in your owner’s manual. Several years may pass before the first 100,000 or 120,000 mile interval, never mind the second 100,000 or 120,000 mile maintenance (at 200,000 and 240,000 miles respectively). Inflation will make the first 100,000 mile service look cheaper than the second time at 200,000 miles. That is, unless you are driving 30,000 miles per year.<br />
<br />
Repairs are even more complicated. In my experience, they tend to vary between a linear and exponential increase over time. Not only that, but also they are almost random in their occurrence. It is hard to project a stable cost per mile. Repairs may cost anywhere from $500 to $10,000 per incident, and occur maybe once, twice, or four times in a year.
Let’s say that after crunching numbers to your heart’s delight, you find that maintenance is about $0.06 per mile.<br />
<br />
Did you include replacing the battery and the tires? These are “infrequent” repairs, but the cost of batteries and tires are easy to look up. Let’s say that batteries last about 5 years (or 60,000 miles) and tires last about 6 years (80,000 miles). A new battery may cost $120, and tires may cost $600. Doing the math here, that is ($120 / 60,000) + ($600 / 80,000) = $0.002 + $0.008 = $0.01 mile.<br />
<br />
Finally, there’s gas. Gas prices fluctuate enough that you are better off waiting until your travel dates are firm before doing the math. With that in mind, let’s say that gasoline costs $2.10 per gallon, and that you get 30 miles per gallon on the highway. For the math, keep your units organized: ($2.10 / gallon) * (gallon / 30 miles) = $2.10 / 30 miles = $0.07 per mile.
I’ve left off insurance and registration, since those become cheaper per mile (often) the more you drive. Whether you include them is up to you.<br />
<br />
As of now, you have the following numbers:<br />
<br />
Cost of vehicle (and interest and taxes) per mile = $0.12<br />
Maintenance per mile = $0.06<br />
Batteries and tires = $0.01<br />
Gasoline = $0.07<br />
<br />
The total for this example is $0.26 per mile.<br />
<br />
If that seems cheap, it’s because I left out insurance and registration. I’ve also not included depreciation, because the mathematical model assumes that the car may be driven until it’s not longer drivable. Depreciation becomes a factor if you sell the car in a drivable condition. In that case, you estimate how much money you would get when selling the vehicle, and do the math: (Cost of purchase – sales price when you sell) / miles driven between your buying and your selling of the vehicle. By all means, if you can sell a vehicle for almost the same price that you bought it at, go for it.<br />
<br />
Anyway, if you’re planning a 1000 mile road trip (500 miles there and 500 miles back), then the cost of driving that distance is $0.26 / miles * 1000 miles = $260.<br />
<br />
Now, look up the cost of renting a car for that trip. Remember that most rental car companies charge by the day, not by the mile. Check to be certain. Let’s say that you found that you could rent a vehicle for $250, with unlimited miles. Does that mean that you would save money by renting?<br />
<br />
Not necessarily. You still need to pay for gas on this 1000 mile trip. You thought this calculation was not complicated enough?
You don’t really know what you’re going to get at the rental place, and the “free upgrade” may cost you at the pump.<br />
<br />
Let’s say that you’re willing to accept a vehicle (like an SUV) that may only get 25 miles per gallon on the freeway
In that case, you will need to buy (1000 miles * 1 gallon / 25 miles) = 40 gallons of gas for the trip. At $2.10 per gallon, that is $84 for the trip. Since you would spend $260 to drive a 1000 miles in your car, the rental car (or SUV) would have to cost no more than $260 - $84 (for the gas) = $176.<br />
<br />
In summary, to know whether you should rent a vehicle vs drive your own, calculate the following costs:<br />
<br />
Cost of vehicle (and interest and taxes) per mile = ______<br />
Maintenance (oil changes, 15,000 mile services, etc) per mile = ______<br />
Batteries and tires = _____<br />
Gasoline (dollar per gallon times gallon per miles) = ____<br />
Total cost per mile= ________<br />
Driving distance = ________ miles<br />
Total cost of trip = distance times cost per mile = ________<br />
<br />
The cost of gasoline for driving the rental cal (dollar per gallon times gallon per miles times miles driven) = ______<br />
The cost of the rental car = _______<br />
Total cost of renting the car plus gas = _________ <br />
<br />
Renting a car is often better for long-distance trips over a short number of days. Essentially, you need to drive a certain amount of miles per day in order to make renting a car cheaper than driving your own. This applies to rental contracts with “unlimited miles.” If the car rental company charges for miles, then you need to find out how much that will cost for the entire trip.<br />
<br />
I did not include the cost of insurance for the rental car, for the following reasons:<br />
<br />
1) If you have collision and comprehensive insurance for your own car, then your insurance company may already cover the damage to a rental vehicle. Call your insurance company to be sure. If you don’t have collision and comprehensive, then consider getting a credit card that offers that insurance coverage as primary, not secondary. If you don’t have auto insurance at all, then you may have to buy the rental car company’s insurance, if only for the liability coverage. If you have car insurance, then call your insurance company to be sure that your liability coverage also applies to rental cars. If you have health insurance, then your health insurance company should* cover your medical costs.<br />
<br />
*(Notwithstanding all the billing chaos that occurs with emergency medicine and out-of-network providers, etc).<br />
<br />
Side note: Retaining collision and comprehensive may make sense if the yearly cost of the insurance (plus deductible) is less than 10% the value of your car. The idea is that if you’re in a car crash once every 10 years, then the cost of paying for your vehicle should be spread out over that 10 year period. Of course, if you’re crashing your car every five years, you are probably paying more for insurance anyway.<br />
<br />
2) If you pay for the rental car with a credit card, then the credit card may offer collision and comprehensive insurance (but usually not liability or medical). Call to be sure. If they do offer it, then ask if it is primary (you can file with claim without going through your own auto insurance) or secondary (you need to first file a claim with your own auto insurance). If your credit card does not offer any coverage, then apply for a credit card that does have (primary) rental car coverage. The challenge there is that the credit cards that I know that offer any rental car coverage often charge an annual fee.<br />
<br />
In summary of the insurance situation (in 2020, from my personal experience; I’m not a lawyer, insurance agent, etc. Always contact the relevant professionals for advice, etc.):<br />
<br />
1) If you have collision and comprehensive insurance for your personal car, then call your insurance company to see if it covers rental cars. If they don't, then:<br />
<br />
A) Find a credit card company that offers (primary, not secondary) collision and comprehensive coverage, or<br />
<br />
B) Pay for that coverage at the rental car company.<br />
<br />
<br />
2) If you have liability insurance for damages that you cause with your personal car, then call your insurance company to see if that applies to your driving a rental car. If they don’t, then:<br />
<br />
A) Find an insurance company that will sell you liability insurance that would apply to you renting a car, or<br />
<br />
B) Pay for that coverage at the rental car company.<br />
<br />
<br />
3) If you have health insurance, then your health insurance company should* cover your medical costs.<br />
<br />
*(Notwithstanding all the billing chaos that occurs with emergency medicine and out-of-network providers, etc).<br />
<br />
Otherwise, you should do one or both of the following:<br />
<br />
A) Get health insurance if you don’t already have it;<br />
<br />
B) Find supplemental or travel insurance that covers accidents and hospital stays at your destination (and on the road).<br />
<br />
<br />
That was a lot of information. Asking questions to your insurance and credit card companies is rarely fun. While renting a car can be cost advantageous (especially for long-distance small number-of-days trips), one accident can remove all the cost savings.Christopher Loydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12406224790720542509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765278438126144609.post-116730450880261402020-01-04T22:07:00.000-08:002020-01-04T23:12:36.168-08:00Eat: More FoodBlasphemy. Utter blasphemy! How dare there be a blog post with the words <i>eat more food</i>.<br />
<br />
Clearly, we’ve never met. Medical professionals look at a skinny man, and his age, height, and weight, and scratch their heads. What is going on?<br />
<br />
To re-assure them, you, and everyone else, I present the following meal plan. According to choosemyplate.gov, I should eat 2600 calories consisting of the following food groups and servings:<br />
<br />
Fruit (2 cups)<br />
Vegetables (3 ½ cups)<br />
Grains (9 ounce equivalents)<br />
Protein (6 ½ ounce equivalents)<br />
Dairy (3 cups).<br />
<br />
To create a menu based on the above required some thinking. I created a table showing meals and food. Which group the food belonged to is indicated by the first letter of each group name (e.g., F for Fruit, V for Vegetable, and so on).<br />
<br />
Below is a first attempt:<br />
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Breakfast: One slice of toast (G) with peanut butter (P), apple (F), one cup of milk (D), half cup of oatmeal (G)<br />
<br />
Snack #1: One cup Greek yogurt (D) with a half cup of granola (G)<br />
<br />
Lunch: Leftover two ounces chicken/beef/turkey (2 P) with one cup rice/potato/pasta/beans/peas (2 G) and one cup of broccoli/carrots or two cups of spinach (V)<br />
<br />
Snack #2: Half an ounce of almonds (P), orange (F), 1 ½ ounces of natural cheese (D), one ounce of crackers (G)<br />
<br />
Dinner: Two ounces chicken/beef/turkey (2 P) with one and a half cups rice/potato/pasta/beans/peas (3 G) and two cups of broccoli/carrots or four cups of spinach (2 V).<br />
<br />
So far, so good. One can skew big to get the extra half cup of vegetables and half ounce protein.<br />
<br />
Below is another attempt:<br />
<br />
Breakfast: One egg (P) with a cup of mushroom/onion/bell pepper (V), apple (F), one cup of milk (D), one slice of toast (G) with peanut butter (P)<br />
<br />
Snack #1: One cup Greek yogurt (D) with half a cup of granola (G)<br />
<br />
Lunch: Leftover two ounces chicken/beef/turkey (2 P) with one cup rice/potato/pasta/beans/peas (2 G) and one cup of broccoli/carrots or two cups of spinach (V)<br />
<br />
Snack #2: Half an ounce of Almonds (P), orange (F), 1 ½ ounces of natural cheese (D), one ounce of crackers (G)<br />
<br />
Dinner: One ounce chicken/beef/turkey (P) with two cups of rice/potato/pasta/beans/peas (4 G) and one cup of broccoli/carrots or two cups of spinach (V).<br />
<br />
How about a little meat to go with your mountain of rice? Having one ounce of meat at dinner seems almost not worth the trouble. Imagine someone consuming a 12-ounce steak over the course of four days (three ounces per day; two at lunch and one for dinner). Let’s slice the 12-ounce steak into two 6-ounce servings, and call that the protein allocation for the day.<br />
<br />
That menu is below:<br />
<br />
Breakfast: One cup of milk (D), one slice of toast (G) with butter, one cup of oatmeal (2 G)<br />
<br />
Snack #1: One cup Greek yogurt (D) with half a cup of granola (G)<br />
<br />
Lunch: Leftover one and a half cups of rice/potato/beans/peas (3 G) and two cups of broccoli/carrots or four cups of spinach (2 V)<br />
<br />
Snack #2: One orange (F), 1 ½ ounces of natural cheese (D), one ounce of crackers (G)<br />
<br />
Dinner: Six ounces of chicken/beef/turkey (6 P) with a half cup of rice/potato/pasta/beans/peas (G) and a cup of broccoli/carrots or two cups of spinach (V).<br />
<br />
Let’s have spaghetti for dinner (and leftovers for lunch):<br />
<br />
Breakfast: One cup of milk (D), one slice of toast (G) with butter, one cup of oatmeal (2 G)<br />
<br />
Snack #1: One cup Greek yogurt (D) with half a cup of granola (G)<br />
<br />
Lunch: Leftover three ounces of chicken/beef/turkey (3 P) with one cup of pasta (2 G) and one and a half cups of tomato (1.5 V)<br />
<br />
Snack #2: One orange (F), 1 ½ ounces of natural cheese (D), one ounce of crackers (G)<br />
<br />
Dinner: Three ounces of chicken/beef/turkey (3 P) with one cup of pasta (2 G) and one and a half cups of tomato (1.5 V).<br />
<br />
How about a sandwich for lunch:<br />
<br />
Breakfast: One cup of milk (D), one slice of toast (G) with butter, one cup of oatmeal (2 G)<br />
<br />
Snack #1: One cup Greek yogurt (D) with half a cup of granola (G)<br />
<br />
Lunch: Leftover three ounces of chicken/beef/turkey (3 P) with two slices of bread (2 G) and a cup of lettuce/tomato/onion (V)<br />
<br />
Snack #2: One orange (F), 1 ½ ounces of natural cheese (D), one ounce of crackers (G)<br />
<br />
Dinner: Three ounces of chicken/beef/turkey (3 P) with one cup of rice/potato/pasta/beans/peas (2 G) and two cups of broccoli/carrots or four cups of spinach (2 V).<br />
<br />
None of the above menus took a great deal of time to create.<br />
<br />
But, all the menus appear to have a lot of food. The challenge was figuring out how to achieve the grain allotments. I had to add oatmeal to most of the breakfasts in order to achieve 9 ounce-equivalents of grain. The vegetable allocations seem rather high, but that is to be expected for a "healthy" eating plan. There also seems to be a lot of dairy, and that is coming from someone who lives in Wisconsin.
I don’t know about you, but having a slice of toast with one cup of oatmeal and milk on the side sounds rather filling. Then, two or three hours later having a cup of Greek yogurt and a half cup of granola?<br />
<br />
Consider that I did select "30 to 60 minutes per day of moderate activity" as the physical activity level. If I had selected "Less than 30 minutes per day," the recommend calorie consumption would be 2400 calories, consisting of the following food groups and servings:<br />
<br />
Fruit (2 cups)<br />
Vegetables (3 cups)<br />
Grains (8 ounce equivalents)<br />
Protein (6 ½ ounce equivalents)<br />
Dairy (3 cups).<br />
<br />
See the difference? One half cup fewer vegetables, and one ounce equivalent less grain. The above menus don't really change. Maybe oatmeal is reduced or eliminated from the breakfasts.<br />
<br />
Nonetheless, trying to eat that much food (even at the 2400 calorie level) seems like work. Maybe these plans assume that the individual is doing a fair amount of physical activity, even at the low end. Maybe people are really bad at knowing what they eat, and they underestimate how much grain and protein they consume. Granted, one should adjust the menus based on the results of the initial plan. There are also allergy and other restrictions that would force the use of soy milk, extra beans and nuts, and so on.<br />
<br />
These plans are relatively easy if you're cooking for yourself, and are making relatively discrete meals (e.g., a meat dish, a vegetable dish). But, you'd have to break apart a pizza in your mind to determine how much would go to grain, dairy, etc. There's also common goods like cream of mushroom soup. There's a clear dairy component, but how much do the mushrooms count as vegetables? One can stare at ravioli or dumplings, and estimate how much is grain vs protein.<br />
<br />
That raises the question: who actually follows these plans?Christopher Loydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12406224790720542509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765278438126144609.post-24362363835097999032020-01-01T10:05:00.000-08:002020-01-01T10:06:09.348-08:00Move: to Madison, WI (Day 1000)Part 1: Encounters<br />
<br />
You're at a social event in Houston. The people there seem cool and friendly. The conversations are humorous, intellectual, and smooth. Then, one interesting stranger asks you, "So, where are you from?"<br />
<br />
You answer, "Texas."<br />
<br />
The stranger looks both persistent and puzzled. "No, really. Where are you from?"<br />
<br />
"Texas. I've lived here most of my life."<br />
<br />
"Huh."<br />
<br />
"What?"<br />
<br />
"You don't act...seem...talk like you're from here."<br />
<br />
"Um, okay."<br />
<br />
You're in the Legislature building in Edmonton, Alberta, for some reason. Standing in the rotunda, you look up and see a bunch of ferns or palms whose branches and leaves are draping over the balcony. Interested, you find the guest services people. The two people there say that the palms are about 83 or 84 years old, and that no one knows why they are there. You suggest that there should be a YouTube show, where politicians discuss matters of importance to the Province, with the palms in the background, like the YouTube show about two guys between two ferns.
The guest services people love the idea. They encourage you to write to your "MLA."<br />
<br />
MLA? Time to break the news: "I'm an American."<br />
<br />
They keep smiling. "Write to them anyway!"<br />
<br />
"Uh, so, um, I'm not sure that is a good idea--"<br />
<br />
Almost in unison, they respond: "Anyone - anyone! - can write to their MLA! Welcome to Canada!"<br />
<br />
They still haven't said what an "MLA" is. You suggest writing to the Canadian ambassador to the U.S.<br />
<br />
These two would not stop. They say, again almost in unison, "You're an ambassador to Canada!"<br />
<br />
You're speechless.<br />
<br />
Walking outside the Legislature building, you notice two people struggling with a folding wheelchair. You ask if they need assistance. They agree. One takes your arm, and asks to be walked down the steps. Acting as her crutch, we walk down all 30-ish steps of the Legislature building. There were two landings, so it wasn't 30-ish straight down with no steps. When it was done, the two ask you if you live in Edmonton.<br />
<br />
You're at a bar in Whitehorse, Yukon, because it seems like a good idea. After the bartender brings you a beer, he asks, "So, where you're from?"<br />
<br />
Sigh. "I'm from Texas."<br />
<br />
"Huh. Never would have guessed."<br />
<br />
"Oh?"<br />
<br />
"Yeah. I thought you were from a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYYdQB0mkEU" target="_blank">suburb of Toronto</a>."<br />
<br />
You are in a bar in Amarillo, Texas, because going to bars is what you do now. The trend is becoming clear. A bar patron expresses interest in you, proceeds to show off their ignorance, insults your body language, and uses everything they've learned about you as fertilizer for beratement.<br />
<br />
You are among friends and friendly strangers in Houston. The conversation turns to accents and "where are you from," so you pull out the "<a href="https://www.dialectsarchive.com/comma-gets-a-cure" target="_blank">Comma Gets a Cure</a>" passage from the International Dialects of English Association (IDEA). After you read it out loud, no one thinks that you're from Texas. One person guesses which part of the world "where you learned to speak English." He hedges his guess in terms of geography, but he's the only person that has correctly guessed "where you learned to speak English." You ask him how he knows. He says that it's in the vowels. "You have a rolling bass."<br />
<br />
Part 2: So, you want to move to Houston<br />
<br />
That's it. You've had it. No more ice and snow! You don't care about the Packers! The Midwest is so boring! These smug complacent losers can shove their cheese where the sun don't shine! Enough of Badger This and Badger That! Enough with all the beer, beer, more beer, and liquor sold at gas stations! Forget the fish fries! Hunting is a barbaric exercise practiced by the rural elitist gentry! From the de-industrialized wasteland of Milwaukee to the uber-progressive social justice nightmare of Madison, there is only one solution!<br />
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Move to Houston. I mean, duh. Why wouldn't you? *<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDZJPJV__bQ" target="_blank">Beyonce</a> plays in the background*<br />
<br />
Houston is good in many regards (see the <a href="https://chris-loyd.blogspot.com/2018/08/move-to-madison-wi-day-500.html" target="_blank">Day 500 blog post</a>). The point of this write-up is to provide a constructive advisory about relocating from Madison to Houston. This post was written be someone who lived in Texas for most of his life, and most of that was in Houston. It is worth mentioning that I've met Wisconsinites in Houston, and most preferred living in Houston than in Wisconsin. But, I don't know which city or village they came from. Arguably, you are better off living in Houston than in a violent, de-industrialized town with few job prospects. At least in Houston you can find work easily, and feasibly arrange your life to mitigate most of the downsides of living in Houston. This post frames the argument from the perspective of "given competing job offers..."<br />
<br />
Before you pack up the truck, there are certain things you need to know about Houston:<br />
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While most people are mostly friendly most of the time, Houston does not have as high a level of trust that Madison has. Crime is higher. There is more theft, and more fences and walls. You are more likely to hear people talking about "hating" their neighbors. If Chicago or New York City frighten you, then bear in mind that for a Houstonian, New York City and Chicago are merely "bigger."<br />
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The weather is hot and humid. Imagine the worst summer day in Madison. Now, make that day last about four months. The low temperature in the summer varies between 76 and 80 degrees. The low temperature. The winters average between the 40s and 60s, so mosquito season never really ends. Air conditioners largely cycle on-and-off for most of the year. This results in Houston being the kind of city were lots of events are held indoors. You can do things outside, but you'll be sweating in a few minutes. There's a 20% chance of rain every day. Over fifty inches of water fall from the sky per year.<br />
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The worst evenings are hurricane nights. That is, the weather before a hurricane hits. The air is stiller, more humid, and even warmer than usual. It's like an awful summer day, only at night. Then the hurricane shows up...<br />
<br />
...and after the hurricane leaves it's like the Gulf of Mexico tried to annex your neighborhood. In 2008, Hurricane Ike knocked out power to much of the city for weeks. I had to temporarily live with a friend until the power was restored to my apartment. For some reason, the office buildings had power, so much of the office worker population resumed life as best they could. Which meant driving miles through stop-and-go traffic. The stop lights weren't working, so every intersection was a four-way stop. The food and fuel logistics were disrupted, so office workers faced a choice when driving home: buy food or gas, because the stores and stations would close early. One time, I arrived at an <a href="https://www.heb.com/" target="_blank">H-E-B</a> a few minutes too late. Closed. The workers there said something that I thought I would never hear in these United States: "Sorry. We ran out of food."<br />
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The smell of refineries moves with the winds. Many of the refineries are in an adjacent city called Pasadena, which the locals often refer to as "Stinkadena." When the east wind blows, the smell reaches all the way to the Galleria, west of downtown. When the northwest wind blows, bringing cooler temperatures, the smell reaches the NASA/Clear Lake part of town. The smell of stagnant water in bayous, and of mold growing hither and on, meanders throughout the city. Even the wealthy areas have trouble avoiding the swampy smell.<br />
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The terrain comes in two flavors: flat and flatter. I'm not joking. Houston for the most part is quite flat, though as you approach Galveston the land somehow looks even flatter. There is nothing to look at this part of the world except buildings, billboards, freeways, and large pickup trucks. The flat terrain means that drainage is an ongoing project, with ever more land allocated for channeling or collecting or retaining excess water.<br />
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Galveston has what passes for charm and history in the region. It is a city on a barrier island, with a monument and placards that memorialize the Great Storm of 1900. The beach requires sand to be dredged up from the Houston Ship Channel. The water has the quality of an oil slick. New Jersey has nicer beaches.<br />
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Houston driving is more aggressive than Madison, and is more typical of that found in Phoenix, Denver, Washington, DC, and so on. In other words, Houston is a big city. A big, sprawling city. Unless you are so fortunate as to live close to your job, the "good" grocery store, and wherever your friends live, you will do a lot of driving. You can put 15,000 miles on your car every year with little effort. Ideally, you live as close to work as you can possibly afford, taking in mind proximity to refineries, airports, railroad crossings, freeways, and flood zones. The wealthy tend to live several miles away from refineries, usually due west or southwest of the city.<br />
<br />
Maybe I've had bad luck, but workplaces in Houston tend to be awkward-at-best and hostile-at-worse. In a large enough company, you can find cool co-workers. But, for most of the employers I had while in Houston, the bosses were either (1) angry at everyone, and at one time violent, (2) liars <i>and</i> bad at business, (3) rude to their employees (one boss called me ugly to my face, and recommended that I seek the services of an image consultant), or (4) "part of the family." The cool co-workers tend to quit (and often leave the region, hint hint), leaving you behind with people who may or may not be related to company owners through blood, marriage, or alumni networks.<br />
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Life is more expensive than you would expect. For years, if not decades, boosters trumpeted the low cost of living here. While $40,000 can buy you a condo (with a monthly fee of at least $280), you're buying into a neighborhood where more than a third of families live below the poverty line. What if you want the Houston version of Madison's Edgewood College/Monroe St/Regent neighborhood? The Houston version is the Greater Heights/Shady Acres area, which costs about the same as the Edgewood College area. What if you want a suburban four-bedroom house built after 1980? Several cities and towns around Houston offer attractively-priced houses. A newish $300,000ish house in a Madison suburb will cost about $200,000ish in Houston suburb.<br />
<br />
The advantage largely ends there. The property taxes are about the same as in Madison, and depend a lot on which school district you're in. I've not yet bought a place in Madison, so I cannot speak from personal experience. However, I did buy a place in Houston in the Clear Creek Independent School District (ISD). Taking into account Clear Creek ISD taxes (which are called out as a separate line item), my property tax rate was about 2.5% the value of the property. The sales tax in Houston is higher (8.25%) than in Madison.<br />
<br />
But, wait. There's more. Insurance for both home and auto are far more expensive in Houston than Madison. For homes (and apartments), the major cost drivers are flood and windstorm. Traditional home insurance (also known as "fire insurance" or "hazard insurance") does not cover damage due to floods (rising water that comes in through the door) or windstorm (wind and hail damage). Getting "fire insurance" for a house near the coast is tricky in itself. By "near", agents have refused to quote me a policy because the property was within 30 miles of the coastline. On the one hand, I agreed that living within 30 miles of the Texas coastline was bad idea due to hurricane risks. But, my employer was about 1 or 2 miles from the coastline (depending on what exactly you call a "coastline"). The risk of a hurricane + the cost of insurance in that region was less than the risk of getting in a car crash while paying to drive 30 miles to work every day. See above about living as close to your job as you can possible afford and tolerate.<br />
<br />
Ultimately, in 2016 the insurance costs for an owner-occupied 1980s townhouse in southeast Houston were about $600 for "fire insurance" + $750 for "yearly condo insurance" (which I think covered windstorm) + $250 for flood. Back when I was a renter, I paid about $200 per year for renter's insurance, which did not include flood. I didn't buy flood insurance because I reckoned that any storm that put a foot of water in the apartment would be so catastrophic that the apartment (and the employer's office building) would no longer exist. If the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) can be believed, the average yearly cost for windstorm insurance is <a href="https://www.twia.org/rates/" target="_blank">$1600 per year</a>.<br />
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If you move your vehicle from Madison to Houston, expect your car insurance to double. Fifty dollars per month is cheap. $100 is common. Why so expensive? See above about aggressive driving, long commutes, and high crime.<br />
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Oh yeah, and vehicle inspections are required, which take about an hour or two of your life every year. Inspection stations may offer to sell you windshield wipers, etc., in case they decide that your wipers, etc., need replacing. The cost of inspection + registration in Houston is about the same as registration + wheel tax in Madison.<br />
<br />
Oh yeah, and lately most of the new freeway construction comes in the form of toll roads.<br />
<br />
In my experience, any tax advantage to living in Houston vs Madison was heavily reduced by the increase in total insurance costs. When I attempted to calculate an "all costs" comparison between the two cities, Houston was cheaper than Madison. By $30 per month.<br />
<br />
Stepping away from the economic analysis, there are other reasons why Houston and its surroundings can be so off-putting. When Houston is "at its best," it comes across as a humid, flat version of what I imagine Los Angeles to be. The skyline and suburbs are like a mini-Chicago. When Houston is "at its most Texan," it comes across as an exercise in aesthetics or an indulgent delusion. The big draw at the Houston rodeo isn't the animals or the buck-riding, it's the concerts. The rodeo is a music festival with horses on the side.<br />
<br />
While almost no one will say that education and learning is a poor investment, you should see the high school football stadiums. The enthusiasm that parents have for the game is remarkable. The passion trickles down into middle school. I've driven past middle-school football players, soliciting donations from passing vehicles. Players would hold the football helmets upside down, to hold the money that generous drivers deposited.<br />
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Finally, in a city where wealth is flaunted in its own way, much of the place looks charmless, if not terrible. Light industry is scattered throughout the city. While productivity is essential for prosperity, there is a lot of sketchy development along major and minor thoroughfares. Mold and hurricanes prevent the development of patina. The "nice" parts of Houston can be named as follows: the Inner West Loop (including the Rice Univesity-area and River Oaks and all in between) the immediate Galleria-Post Oak area, the Woodlands, Kingwood, Clear Lake (except El Dorado blvd between Highway 3 and I-45), Friendswood (mostly), Pearland (the newer areas), Katy (mostly), Cinco Ranch, Cypress-Fair (mostly), Spring (much of it), southeast Pasadena, League City, Sugar Land (mostly), and pretty much any area that is not affordable.<br />
<br />
While that seems like quite a long list, bear in mind that those communities exist within a region of nearly 6,000,000 people. Imagine there being 14 or so good suburbs or "parts of town" in the <i>entire state of Wisconsin</i>.<br />
<br />
Yikes.<br />
<br />
But, Houston is not the worst city in the United States. Far from it. It is worth repeating that Houston is good in many regards (see the <a href="https://chris-loyd.blogspot.com/2018/08/move-to-madison-wi-day-500.html" target="_blank">Day 500 blog post</a> and the next paragraph). Again, the point of this write-up is to provide a constructive advisory about relocating from Madison to Houston. Not to sound like a broken record, but this post was written by someone who lived in Texas for most of his life, and most of that was in Houston. It is worth reminding you that I've met Wisconsinites in Houston, and most preferred living in Houston than in Wisconsin. But, I still don't know which city or village they came from. Again, you are better off living in Houston than in a violent, de-industrialized town with few job prospects. At least in Houston you can find work easily, and feasibly arrange your life to mitigate most of the downsides of living in Houston. This post frames the argument from the perspective of "given competing job offers..."<br />
<br />
So, why move to Houston? If you like large, sprawling cities with hot, humid weather, then Houston may be the city for you. If you are accepted to Rice University, then that is a compelling reason to come. If you want to work in oil and gas, and are willing to sit in an office or work in a refinery filled with alpha-bros, then Houston makes a lot dollars and sense. If you want to work at Johnson Space Center, particular in Mission Control or any of the science or materials research teams, then go for it. If you want to work in a particular field of medical research, such as artificial hearts or neurology, then the Texas Medical Center is the place to go. But, if you just want to be general practitioner (family doctor), work in corporate/big law, or be a dentist, then I'm not sure what Houston would offer you that a nice suburb of Chicago or Dallas wouldn't.<br />
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Part 3: So, you want to move to Madison<br />
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That's it. You've had it. No more hurricanes! You don't care about the Texans or the Cowboys! Texas is so full of itself! These pushy arrogant losers can shove their tacos where the sun don't shine! Enough of Lone Star This and Lone Star That! Enough with all the restrictions on when and where one can buy beer and liquor! Forget the rodeos! High School football is a barbaric exercise practiced by the shallow suburban upper- and middle-class! From the polluted swamps of Houston to holier-than-than-Houston Dallas to holier-than-everyone Austin to looking-for-tacos-where-the-sun-don't-shine San Antonio, there is only one solution!<br />
<br />
Move to Madison. I mean, duh. Why wouldn't you? *<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7vRSu_wsNc" target="_blank">Prince</a> plays in the background.* Wait! Stop! He's from Minnesota! OK. How about the guy who sang about Lake Superior? The one and only <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vST6hVRj2A" target="_blank">Gordon Lightfoot</a>! WHAT!? He's Canadian! Fine. Then the guy who had a couple of hits in the 1970s and 1980s: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tY8B0uQpwZs" target="_blank">Steve Miller</a>! Oh, he's from Milwaukee? Hmm. Then that leaves *<a href="https://youtu.be/tODlPxhbGF8?t=39" target="_blank">Jump Around</a>*<br />
<br />
Madison is good in many regards (see the <a href="https://chris-loyd.blogspot.com/2018/08/move-to-madison-wi-day-500.html" target="_blank">Day 500 blog post</a>). The point of this write-up is to provide a constructive advisory about relocating from Houston to Madison. This post was written by someone who lived in Texas for most of his life, and then moved to Madison. I've lived here for over two years. It is worth mentioning that I've met Texans in Madison, and most don't seem to miss Texas. The people I've known who have left Wisconsin tend to go to Chicago, the Twin Cities, or the West Coast, not Texas. Nonetheless, you are better off living in Houston than in a violent, de-industrialized town with few job prospects. At least in Houston you can find work easily, and feasibly arrange your life to mitigate most of the downsides of living in Houston. This post frames the argument from the perspective of "given competing job offers..."<br />
<br />
Before you load up the moving van and go to a Badgers game, keep the following in mind:<br />
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Madison, Wisconsin, the Midwest, and pretty much everything north of I-40 is cold by Houston standards. Imagine the coldest day you remember in Houston. Make it <i>even colder</i>, and have it last for three months. The average yearly low is in the mid-30s, and the high is in the mid-50s. The "average" Madison day is colder than a Houston winter.<br />
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As annoying as Houston summers can be, Midwestern winters can be deadly. Ice is fun for skating on, but not fun for driving on, or walking on, especially where it occurs in patches. The first snowfall of the season is accompanied by people re-learning how to drive in winter conditions, and there are lots of collisions. The slipperiness of the roads catches you off-guard. The only advice I have is to drive even slower than you would think is reasonable.<br />
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To reduce the formation of ice on roads, and thus reduce crashes, counties and cities sprinkle/pour/dump salt on the pavement. This is remarkably effective. It's also effective at causing your vehicle to rust. As soon as temps climb above 35F, you should drive to the nearest car wash, and pay the $1 extra to get the undercarriage wash. When shopping for a used car, it may be worth your while to buy one in a southern state and drive it north.<br />
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Unless you are so fortunate as to park your car in a garage/carport/barn, you will spend many winter mornings brushing the snow and scraping the ice off of your car. Once or twice a year, there may be a rather thick coat of ice on the vehicle, which is much harder to remove than you might think. A good idea is to start the car, turn on the defroster, and start brushing and scraping. Did I mention this happens in the morning, before you head to work? Maybe you've had coffee, maybe you've hadn't. Maybe you're already late for work, maybe not. No pressure.<br />
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The food scene here is only okay. Sure, if you live here, you will find the good breakfast place, the good Indian place, the good sushi place, and so forth. But, most food up here is not much to write about. It tastes fine, but is ultimately a forgettable experience. I can recommend some bars and taverns to visiters, but there is no real equivalent to Whataburger up here. What? What about Culver's you say? Fine. Go to Culver's...in Dodgeville, which is about an hour west from Madison. It's the only good Culver's I've been to. Chicago most likely has better restaurants than Madison, but that's quite a ways to drive just get something good to eat. Learn to cook.<br />
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The road system here is somewhat unforgiving to newcomers. Madison-area roads don't really follow a grid system away from downtown, and there are three or four lakes that get in the way. There are few legal U-turns. Most of the roads have fewer lanes than in Houston, and are surprisingly busy. Making legal U-turns usually involves a series of left turns at stop lights, or driving around a large suburban block. Madison hasn't grown quite like Houston, and lacks the Houston-style streets-with-a-median pattern that makes U-turns widely available. There are fewer master-planned communities. Sprawl has generally followed US highways and county roads, not I-39/90/94. The interstates largely bypass the city. Driving into downtown nowadays is probably much like driving there in 1950: you just drive on surface streets, and the buildings get taller and taller.<br />
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Madison is more progressive than most places, and has grown slowly compared to Houston, so urban design and infrastructure fads come and go faster than actual construction. Currently, there is little enthusiasm for new freeways. Instead, there is enthusiasm for traffic circles. At best, there is a selective increase in road capacities, making roads that are freeway-ish, but not actual freeways. Three- and four-story apartment buildings pop up even in smaller towns.<br />
<br />
Speaking of small, if you have lived your whole life in cities at least the size of San Antonio or Milwaukee, then you are spoiled by something that people in places like Beaumont or Madison don't have: large airports. By "large," I mean "Southwest Airlines goes there" and "You can fly to Mexico and Canada from there." Currently, Dane County Regional Airport offers direct flights to Dallas, but not Houston. Even though Houston is a hub for United Airlines, they fly directly from Madison only to Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, Newark (New Jersey), San Francisco, and Washington, DC. Visit the MSN Airport's website for <a href="https://www.msnairport.com/flight_travel/where)" target="_blank">a current list</a>. Southwest does not serve Madison, so the price floor is established by one of the other three airlines, with concurrent iffy quality. It's often a good idea to take a bus to Milwaukee and fly Southwest, especially if you can get a non-stop flight.<br />
<br />
That's just the airport situation. Maybe you want to buy a new Audi. Where do you go? If you live in Madison, the nearest Audi dealership is in...Milwaukee. You want a selection of tailors? Milwaukee. Custom Fedoras? Milwaukee. Maybe one of your Houston bosses had a point about using an image consultant. The nearest one? Chicago.<br />
<br />
There is a <a href="https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2013/10/regions-personalities" target="_blank">friendly-but-conventional</a> vibe to Madison and the surrounding areas. Maybe it's the small cities and villages. Maybe it's the widely scattered population across the state. Whatever it is, there is a lingering sense that other, larger cities have more action and better stuff. Other cities are going somewhere.<br />
<br />
Maybe that lingering sense is the realization that Madison has two types of people (speaking very broadly here): Transients and the settled. The transients consist largely of university students and <a href="https://www.epic.com/" target="_blank">Epic</a> workers. Universities tend to have deadlines or end-state conditions: graduating with a degree. Based on what I've heard, Epic has a rather brutal travel and work schedule. The hours are long, but the pay is great. Maybe working 60-hour weeks is fine when you're 23. It's probably getting old by the time you're 26. Especially if you have trouble making time to date and start a family.<br />
<br />
The settled consist largely of people born-and-raised in Madison, Wisconsin, or the Midwest in general. Most native-borns I've spoken to describe their grandparents as living (or had lived) in Wisconsin. Think about that for a moment. Wisconsin has a lot of fourth- or fifth-generation (or more) Americans. People up here also tend to be more introverted or reserved compared to Texans. Furthermore, individuals tend to favor people they grew up with. That may not seem unusual to you. The relatively insular social scene bothers not only people from big cities, but also people who moved to Madison from some other part of the Midwest. I've heard from other newcomers that everyone else tends to socialize <a href="https://youtu.be/H31bBU4EL44?t=158" target="_blank">only with the friends they made in high school</a>. You often feel like the permanent guest star in someone else's soap opera. Present, with some influence, but nobody thinks of you as a major player in the one-and-only-plot-in-existence. I've met men in their 60s who moved to Madison in their 20s and describe the place from a distant perspective. Don't be surprised if most of your friends are immigrants...from some other Wisconsin city or village.<br />
<br />
So, how to assimilate, and Win Friends and Influence People? One local resident advised, "Drink with others." Find a bar or tavern, and become a fixture. Go to card game or board game meetups. Learn which beers you like. Monitor the Packers, even passively. Drink brandy old-fashioneds, not the whiskey version. Learn to hunt. Drink Spotted Cow in public, and keep your secret shame of liking Bud Light to yourself. Join a volunteer organization; I recommend becoming an EMT.<br />
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Did I mention beer? All the beer? So much beer you wonder if the Wisconsin food pyramid has a special slot just for beer? Texans may brag about how much they like to drink, and all the other states (save Utah?) will roll their eyes. But, Wisconsin elevates drinking to a popular pathology. There are more bars than grocery stores. Villages might not have a grocery store that sells fresh tomatoes, but will have a liquor store, plus a gas station or two that sell liquor. Imaging walking into a gas station, and seeing a full display of Jameson Whiskey before you get to the chips.<br />
<br />
Within two years, I knew of two people that I have never-or-very-rarely seen sober. These are people that I've seen in more than context; they are not random whinos or drug-addicts in the street. Don't take my word for it. Other people have described these individuals as "always drunk." I confess to having lived in a rather sober bubble in Houston, but in fifteen years I never encountered such an inebriated population as in Madison.<br />
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To make matters, um, different, the drunk-driving laws are less stringent than in Texas. You can look up and compared the laws yourself, but just to get you started, first-time drunk-driving offenders in Wisconsin do not get jail time (notwithstanding other convictions). Texas offenders do (supposedly). The fines are lower in Wisconsin, too.<br />
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Finally, the cell phone coverage stinks. I had AT&T (or Cingular, going way back to 1990s and 2000s), and dropped them in 2018. While service was acceptable in cities, it wasn't in the village where I'm a volunteer EMT, in areas where I look for wolves and deer, at Tyrol Basin, and so forth. People said that Verizon or US Cellular had better coverage in rural areas, though the coverage varied from valley to valley. US Cellular is slightly cheaper than Verizon, and allows for hotspotting at its highest data plan. So far, so good. Then you find out that US Cellular's network spans from Milwaukee to Madison to Iowa, and then there is spotty regional coverage all the way to Wichita Falls, Texas. It is the only cell phone company that still has "roaming" as a factor in its coverage. I've not had roaming since...2005?<br />
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That's why, my Texan family and friends, I cannot receive your group-texts until I get back to Wisconsin. But, aren't you glad that people can buy a box of Spotted Cow beer at the Milwaukee airport, and bring it onto the airplane? You're welcome.<br />
<br />
Madison is good in many regards (see the <a href="https://chris-loyd.blogspot.com/2018/08/move-to-madison-wi-day-500.html" target="_blank">Day 500 blog post</a>). Again, the point of this write-up is to provide a constructive advisory about relocating from Houston to Madison. It is worth repeating that this post was written be someone who lived in Texas for most of his life, and then moved to Madison. I've lived here for over two years. It is worth mentioning again that I've met Texans in Madison, and most don't seem to miss Texas. The people I've known who have left Wisconsin tend to go to Chicago, the Twin Cities, or the West Coast. Nonetheless, you are better off living in Houston than in a violent, de-industrialized town with few job prospects. At least in Houston you can find work easily, and feasibly arrange your life to mitigate most of the downsides of living in Houston. This post frames the argument from the perspective of "given competing job offers..."<br />
<br />
So, why move to Madison? If you want to live in a city big enough to have two Costcos (and not much bigger), and you want your winters to look like winters, then Madison is the city for you. If you've been accepted to the University of Wisconsin - Madison, then go. If Epic hired you, congratulations! If you want to work for a state government, and you're fortunate enough to get a position in Madison, then accept the offer. If you want to work in the medical devices industry, then Madison has more than one company to which you can apply. But, if you just want to be a general practitioner (family doctor), work in corporate/big law, or be a dentist, then I'm not sure what Madison would offer you that a nice suburb of Milwaukee or Chicago wouldn't.<br />
<br />
Part 4: Enough<br />
<br />
Texans are self-conscious about being Texan in a way that Midwesterners aren't about being Midwestern. That would be fine, even admirable, though one may wonder what Texan culture offers that other cultures don't. Someone from Oklahoma once said, "Texans make a lot of hay about being Texan, but they don't seem that different from Oklahomans." Pity the fool that doesn't play along.<br />
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I often felt that if I weren't "posing" or "posturing" as a confident, macho, self-absorbed dude, then people would see me as an emasculated skinny weakling. Masculinity has a relatively narrow definition in American culture, and in Texas it seems even narrower. In university, people were surprised how hard it was to beat me at arm-wrestling contests. I won only once, but every challenger had to struggle harder than expected to win. "You're stronger than you look."<br />
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And, in Houston, looks matter. Success is supposed to be visible or even ostentatious in the local manner. Big trucks parked at big houses sitting on big lots of land (or in an apartment complex). I looked at how much I was paying for insurance, gas, and maintenance for a 10-year-old Japanese sedan (being driven 15,000 miles per year) and wondered how so many other people could afford 3/4-ton pick-up trucks. I looked at how much it cost to keep a townhouse cool (and insured), and wondered how people could afford to keep a 3000 square-foot free-standing house cool (and insured).<br />
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If your research leads you to cultural beliefs and economic decisions different from your fellow Texans, then you will probably not be celebrated for your independent thinking. This is most likely true for humanity in general, but I can speak only to Houston in this regard. If you don't get onboard with oil and gas, trucks, big houses, high school football, the rodeo, being political (pick either of the two tribes for instant connections), and being either obese or muscular (naturally skinny people need not apply), then you may spend at least a decade trying to find and build a local social circle. It took me 15 years.<br />
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It's exhausting. When every other place (San Antonio, the Yukon, New Jersey) seems more charming than Houston, you begin to wonder what you're gaining from living there. Ultimately, the only reason I could fathom for living in there was for the job. A charitable or constructive perspective on feeling like an outsider is that you in a small way are contributing to the diversity of thought and character. You become resilient by waking up each day to make the right decisions and be a trustworthy person. You ignore the insults, the beratement, and the reckless drivers (to an extent).
Then there comes a series of moments.<br />
<br />
After driving to the Arctic Ocean and back, the first really bizarre and unwelcome social encounter is at a bar in Amarillo, Texas. While talking with a coworker about plans for the future, and he says that he's looking for work outside of Houston. You ask why he would do that. He responds, "There're too many other places to live." You're grumbling about your job and Houston to another coworker, and he asks, "Why do you live here?"<br />
<br />
You explain that you're in Houston for the job. He replies, "That's it? Your job? You're in Houston for your job? Quit. Just quit. You can work anywhere."<br />
<br />
"But, don't you think that being in a challenging, even unfriendly environment, builds resiliency?"<br />
<br />
"Don't confuse resiliency for callous indifference."<br />
<br />
<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190328001356/http://garreau.com/main.cfm64.htm" target="_blank">Joel Garreau wrote about</a> how you know you're in your Nation. After a long road trip from Houston to the Arctic and back again, returning to Texas overall and Houston in particular did not feel comforting or nice. There was too often a sense of being threatened, or being someplace unpleasant. The relaxing sensation of return, and looking forward to being home did not occur until <a href="https://chris-loyd.blogspot.com/2017/10/move-to-madison-wi-day-200.html" target="_blank">2017 when I was driving a moving truck</a> across the Mississippi River into Wisconsin. In the dark and the rain, I saw a sign for Platteville. I let out a sigh, and smiled.<br />
<br />
Whenever I fly back to Houston, I look out the window of the airplane. The houses, freeways, and industrial areas seem to speak of opportunity, despite the appearance of slumminess. Houston does not feel so much like "home," but instead "a familiar place." It feels quite strongly that I could have done so much there. The way career progress was understood was that of moving up, changing the rules, or finding a new niche. After spending eight years in aerospace, there appeared to be no up and no better alternatives. Instead, only stagnation and dead ends. When an opportunity presented itself, I made the move: to Madison.Christopher Loydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12406224790720542509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765278438126144609.post-46379348471188391622018-08-19T15:02:00.000-07:002018-08-19T15:04:14.350-07:00Move: to Madison, WI (Day 500)<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Like <a href="http://chris-loyd.blogspot.com/2017/10/move-to-madison-wi-day-200.html">Day 200</a>, this
blog post is long enough to warrant a table of contents. With the passage of time, it
seemed like I could summarize what was good about Madison and
Houston, respectively. The novelty of the relocation has worn off. What remains delightful?</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
1) What I like about
Madison, and miss about Houston</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
2) First Winter in
Wisconsin: A Review</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
3) Travels to
Minnesota</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div><p>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
1) What I like about
Madison and southern Wisconsin in general:</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<ul>
<li>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Friendliness
and relatively high levels of trust.</div>
</li>
<li>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The focus on
outdoor activities. Wisconsin is the easier and more welcoming place
to hike, hunt, and volunteer for outdoor-focused causes. Trails are
everywhere.</div>
</li>
<li>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The calm pace
of life. There is less of a hurry, despite the stereotypical phrase
“<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdYdlF6apIw">keep ‘er movin!</a>”</div>
</li>
<li>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
popularity of biking. Not only are bike trails everywhere, but also biking is
popular enough that more drivers seem to expect them. Likewise, as a
driver, you get used to seeing bikes.</div>
</li>
<li>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Relatively
cheap auto insurance. The causes of this are likely multiple,
including but not limited to Wisconsin-specific regulations, car
theft rates, and law enforcement in general.</div>
</li>
</ul>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
What I miss about
Houston and south Texas in general:</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<ul>
<li>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Family and
friends.</div>
</li>
<li>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
restaurants. Oh heavens, the restaurants. How I dream of <a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/les-givrals-sandwich-and-caf%C3%A9-houston-2">the <i><span lang="vi" title="Vietnamese language text">bánh mì</span></i></a>, <a href="http://whataburger.com/">Whataburger</a>, the <a href="https://noonmirch.com/">Indian food</a>, the <a href="https://www.killensbarbecue.com/">succulent BBQ</a>, the fried shrimp, the umpteen
bazillion ways one can arrange meat and fixings onto a tortilla, and
the subtleties, nuances, and complexities of salsa.</div>
</li>
<li>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Legal u-turns
everywhere.</div>
</li>
<li>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Airport hubs.
The population of the Houston metro area rivals that of the
entirety of Wisconsin. As a result, Houston is large enough to have
two major airports.</div>
</li>
<li>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The ambition,
and sense of economic growth.</div>
</li>
<li>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Getting away
with using cheap tires.</div>
</li>
</ul>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
2) <span style="font-style: normal;">My
First Winter in Wisconsin: A Review</span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Winter
teased the Madison area, with flurries in October and November.
However, proper snow came later, closer to Christmas than not. The
first picture I have of snow is dated December 11. It’s not a great
picture.</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">With
snow and ice, come snow plow trucks, and salt. For the sake of the
bike, I </span><span style="font-style: normal;">stopped </span><span style="font-style: normal;">biking
to work, and began walking to work. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">It’s
a pleasant, albeit long walk.</span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Flew to Houston for Christmas and New Year’s. Visited friends in
both San Antonio and Houston. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">It
was great to catch up with old college friends, folks from
<a href="http://creatorspace.org/">Creatorspace</a>, and other people that I hadn’t seen since April
2017.</span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mgjyqc1Hrhs">Flew back north</a> to Wisconsin, and celebrated the occasion with beer and fried
cheese curds.</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDTc_o_C9vLgsUnJGC0jkgR3TO7SICt1GMY5rYKG6a6cfT_va61UYO7rIW5dLUliut3Kx0kbxYKybnzo_w78n0JTSgbdjJc9lxndiEb0JQqjItkyhixaAHIOV1V7hoFqsK_kD37wjaLcU/s1600/IMG_1989.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDTc_o_C9vLgsUnJGC0jkgR3TO7SICt1GMY5rYKG6a6cfT_va61UYO7rIW5dLUliut3Kx0kbxYKybnzo_w78n0JTSgbdjJc9lxndiEb0JQqjItkyhixaAHIOV1V7hoFqsK_kD37wjaLcU/s320/IMG_1989.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<i>A Wisconsin Welcome</i></div>
<br />
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpHiMP4sgnYlWTQNQl1SMSg4oj9TBoE-pe3jwCFM1qvS6K34jKal4yNiMITOym0nmVCt0-_5Ch1r9CJQkoun6Hpf9rKdq9ANlhgnSZqceLXpdMs0DbExYEqQXkEFBJy28dstot55GmYNM/s1600/IMG_1990.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1136" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpHiMP4sgnYlWTQNQl1SMSg4oj9TBoE-pe3jwCFM1qvS6K34jKal4yNiMITOym0nmVCt0-_5Ch1r9CJQkoun6Hpf9rKdq9ANlhgnSZqceLXpdMs0DbExYEqQXkEFBJy28dstot55GmYNM/s320/IMG_1990.PNG" width="180" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<i>Weather conditions on the evening of January 3, 2018. </i></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<i>Note that it
was warmer in both Whitehorse and Montreal, Canada.</i></div>
<br />
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Took
the bus from the Milwaukee airport to downtown Madison, where a
coworker picked me up. He had been car-sitting while I was in Texas.
When we got back to his place, we discovered that the Subaru’s
battery was dead. We jump-started it. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">When
I got back to the apartment, I let the engine run a while, and then
shut the car off.</span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
Subaru wouldn’t start the next morning. Forunately, GEICO offers
roadside assistance. After they jumped the car, I drove straight to
Autozone. One-hundred and thirty dollars later, I had a new battery.
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
That
was the only major hiccup that winter. The rest of January was spent
working, <a href="https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/wildlifehabitat/volunteer.html">looking for wolf tracks for the DNR</a>, learning how to ski at <a href="https://tyrolbasin.com/">Tyrol Basin</a>,
and beginning service at <a href="http://district1ems.com/">District 1 EMS</a>.</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCYmXW5fxmLcBz6MG7Oql51Yrsxu6ERoNa2kKtQVTkfPlaw5knJ1FdIXPlqqV3sdba3qXqLEBipprm-B6rKm8X_w4e6Kogw77EGtaoj6IhkCu3y8wfvdeoI72wkakgHkBZ6fupWSG7DqQ/s1600/IMG_2016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCYmXW5fxmLcBz6MG7Oql51Yrsxu6ERoNa2kKtQVTkfPlaw5knJ1FdIXPlqqV3sdba3qXqLEBipprm-B6rKm8X_w4e6Kogw77EGtaoj6IhkCu3y8wfvdeoI72wkakgHkBZ6fupWSG7DqQ/s320/IMG_2016.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<i>Wisconsin in Winter</i></div>
<br />
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It snowed off-and-on from January through...April. Conditions
warmed up in February, and that’s when I learned an important
lesson: notwithstanding hurricanes, tornadoes, etc., the worst
weather is to have low temps in the 20s, and high temps in the 40s. Every
day, the ice melts. Every night, the ice reforms. Every morning, a
new batch of ice. Every. Morning. Walking to work in February ranged
from annoying to dangerous.
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
When
lows are about 10, and highs just at 30, there is not much new ice.
The air is also crisper. A perfect afternoon, however, can be had
when the temperature is 35, and the weather dry and sunny. Truly, a
time to roll down the windows while driving.</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In
March, I walked home from work, in a snowstorm.<br /><p>
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNBfY4uQU2kucX_e98he8yu-8IpR7xarNVOjfRySACsid2byLSqSRHQgTWC7-UrllJWSW-P6nvB2OZv8I9M8QoAn3un1ixqy6HLn_OAOifRmhJbd9QAneQDpQBEGgfP0sD5ZxmgPFIoko/s1600/IMG_2046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNBfY4uQU2kucX_e98he8yu-8IpR7xarNVOjfRySACsid2byLSqSRHQgTWC7-UrllJWSW-P6nvB2OZv8I9M8QoAn3un1ixqy6HLn_OAOifRmhJbd9QAneQDpQBEGgfP0sD5ZxmgPFIoko/s320/IMG_2046.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<i>A Suburban Office Park</i><p>
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">The
last picture I have of snow is dated April 18. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">What
was surreal was not the snow in April per se, but rather that the
days were getting longer. There just seemed to be so much daylight.
Snow and darkness seemed correlated in my mind. April snow was
causing minor cognitive dissonance.</span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
By
Memorial Day, temperatures were in the 90s. The summer has been humid
and warm ever since. Last year, summer was quite pleasant in the
temperature category. However, there were a lot more storms and
tornado warnings last year than this year. This year, the weather has
been humid, still, and warmer than average.
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
3) On the weekend of
June 22 through 24, I drove up to the twin cities. I met two friends
from Houston, at the Seward Cafe, on E Franklin Ave, Minneapolis. The
food was delicious. Seward Cafe is recommended.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
We met because we
hadn’t seen each other in a while, and used the <a href="https://www.cheesecurdfestival.com/">Ellsworth
(Wisconsin) Cheese Curd Festival</a> as a rationale for the timing of the
visit. We paid two visits to the Cheese Curd Festival. If you were
willing to wait for four hours to get a decent-sized box of fried
cheese curds, then you were well-rewarded. Since recipients got a
rather large helping of cheese curds, some guests shared. That’s
how my friends and I didn’t have to wait for hours in line. Getting
free samples from random strangers was sufficient. It was not as
sketchy as that last sentence sounded. Far from it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJIr4IdE8o3gSi6gHX_2iCmUPC5gVMNwJO9V4ezSihEyvqjC3ssXSmJ_tpptXXEk35fTzPhQxpEWnTEcvEwnYfDDWcPhuym6y3Y6PmOFJsODsoRQFJJFweBV7WPjfbF6gW_p0PDzqXSWk/s1600/IMG_20180623_143738393_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJIr4IdE8o3gSi6gHX_2iCmUPC5gVMNwJO9V4ezSihEyvqjC3ssXSmJ_tpptXXEk35fTzPhQxpEWnTEcvEwnYfDDWcPhuym6y3Y6PmOFJsODsoRQFJJFweBV7WPjfbF6gW_p0PDzqXSWk/s320/IMG_20180623_143738393_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<i>Some folks
in Wisconsin are enthusiastic about cattle.</i><p>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Outside of
Ellsworth, one of my friends re-visited her old stomping grounds in
Minneapolis. We visited one of the local maker-spaces, <a href="http://www.tcmaker.org/blog/hack-factory/">The Hack Factory</a>. A gentleman showed us around the space, which had an
impressive array of tools and workspaces.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
On our final
evening, one of my friends and I headed to Red Wing, Minnesota, for
drinks. We drove around, looking for a place to park. While doing so,
we saw some of downtown Red Wing, and came away impressed with the
presentation. We finally parked, and visited <a href="https://www.facebook.com/223MainStreet/">223 Barrel House</a> on 223
E Main St. Had a brandy old-fashioned, and a couple of beers. 223
Barrel House in Red Wing, Minnesota, is recommended.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-i1C_ZGKry-hh48lWmyv4nwMuP2t3uG1M9TYGXlp9DwkL3X-h3nKw8nk3bTqvshLfBKD-h4JP_M_V_8tMebMuI5x52ggopHWTyDgfJ3VM3y8PqseYikX6Xout3hPk16KjzEr4RIDn6XY/s1600/IMG_20180623_183137022_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-i1C_ZGKry-hh48lWmyv4nwMuP2t3uG1M9TYGXlp9DwkL3X-h3nKw8nk3bTqvshLfBKD-h4JP_M_V_8tMebMuI5x52ggopHWTyDgfJ3VM3y8PqseYikX6Xout3hPk16KjzEr4RIDn6XY/s320/IMG_20180623_183137022_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<i>Nonetheless, Wisconsin beckoned.</i>
</div>
<br />
<br />
Christopher Loydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12406224790720542509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765278438126144609.post-49952844389683222722018-02-27T20:02:00.002-08:002018-02-27T20:08:24.715-08:00Compare: the Histories of Texas and Wisconsin (part two)<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This post includes the first three topics on comparing the respective histories of Texas and Wisconsin. The introduction <a href="https://chris-loyd.blogspot.com/2017/07/compare-histories-of-texas-and.html">is linked here</a>.<br />
<br />
Click on the links to <a href="#Land">the Land</a> and <a href="#Settlers">the Settlers</a> to skip down to those topics.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Topic: The Ice Age</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Both: The Ice Age affected both states, but the specifics differ. Neither book goes into great detail. Fehrenbach mentions the Ice Age only in how it affected the early settlers. Nesbit describes how it affected the physical landscape.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Texas: To learn about the Ice Age in Texas specifically, visit the Texas State Historical Assocation’s website. What they say is that the ice sheets never reached Texas. While glaciation and melting determined relatively new Wisconsin geology, Texas geology was a little more stable during that time. Major geologic changes had last occurred in western and northern Texas about two million years ago. The overall climate was cooler and more humid than today. The sea level went down by about 300 to 450 feet during the glacial maximum. The coastal features of Gulf Coast Plain have been formed in the past 3,000 years.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/swgqz">https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/swgqz</a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Wisconsin: For the Ice Age in Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Geology and Natural History Survey is a good starting point. Wisconsin appears to have never bordered an ocean or a gulf. The most recent glaciation began in Wisconsin 31,500 years ago, expanded until 18,000 years ago, and fully retreated 7,000 years later. Before the melt, there was a treeless tundra (frozen swamp) south and west of the glacier.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://wgnhs.uwex.edu/wisconsin-geology/ice-age/">https://wgnhs.uwex.edu/wisconsin-geology/ice-age/</a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Going much farther south, you encountered a cool and humid Texas.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a name="Land">
Topic: The Land</a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Both: Both states have distinct geographic provinces. Newer sources can and do have different counts of provinces, draw the boundaries differently, and have more qualified names. If Texas and Wisconsin share any province, then it is the vast Interior Plains. Also, both states generally slope towards the southeast.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://geomaps.wr.usgs.gov/parks/province/intplain.html">https://geomaps.wr.usgs.gov/parks/province/intplain.html</a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Texas: According to Fehrenbach, there are three geophysical provinces: the Atlantic-Gulf
coastal plain, the Great Plains, and the Rocky Mountain system. In
general, the land slopes southeast towards the Gulf of Mexico. This
is close enough to the truth at a 100,000-foot level, and accurate
enough for people who don’t live in Texas. For those us who live or have lived there, the reality has a higher fidelity.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Wisconsin: According
to Nesbit, there are five provinces: the Lake Superior lowlands, the
Northern Highlands, the Central Plains, the Western Uplands, and the
Eastern Lowlands. The highest lands are in the northern ridge, while
the lowest are at Lake Michigan. So, the state slopes southeast as
well. I’ve not independently confirmed or qualified this
information.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a name="Settlers">
Topic: The First
Settlers</a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Both: The authors agree that each present-day state was populated at least twice, before the Europeans showed up. Indeed, all of the Americas were
settled...at least once, if not twice or more, depending on how you
define “<span style="font-style: normal;">settle” vs “develop”,
</span><span style="font-style: normal;">where</span> you define the
timing of settlements, which archaeologist you ask, and when you ask
them. Seriously. Start with the Wikipedia page on the Settlement of
the Americas, and have at it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a herf="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Settlement_of_the_Americas" href="https://www.blogger.com/null">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Settlement_of_the_Americas</a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Both Texas and
Wisconsin had the mound-building Mississippian culture. In Texas, the
Mississippian culture began to decline before the Europeans arrived.
The Caddo Nation of today is a direct descendant of this culture. In
Wisconsin, this culture died out entirely.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caddoan_Mississippian_culture">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caddoan_Mississippian_culture</a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Texas: Fehrenbach devotes an entire chapter to the first settlers, and it is more
detailed and romantic than Nesbit. Fehrenbach goes into
archaeological and anthropological detail that Nesbit largely avoids.
The uncomfortable situation that arises is that Fehrenbach
wrote the first edition of <i>Lone Star</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
in the 1960s. Brace yourself.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
For example, he
devotes ten paragraphs to describing what is essentially the Clovis
culture. He makes astounding claims: that the charred remains of a
camp site may be more than 37,000 years old. These Paleo-Americans
had longer heads that anyone else that came after. They had flat and
curved leg bones. <i>What?</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> </span>
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Flipping
to the Bibliography, one sees that he wrote: “...Fred Wendorf, A. D. Krieger, Claude C. Albritton, and T. D. Stewart, </span><i>The
Midland Discovery</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> (Austin, 1955)
reveal some of the excitement and controversies concerning the
mysterious first settlers” (730).</span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Hours of web-research later, the following is what I learned about </span><i>The
Midland Discovery</i><span style="font-style: normal;">:</span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">You
can buy it used on Amazon for about $50 </span><span style="font-style: normal;">or
$60</span><span style="font-style: normal;">.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00AL9O3AI/ref=tmm_other_meta_binding_used_olp_sr?ie=UTF8&condition=used&qid=&sr">https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00AL9O3AI/ref=tmm_other_meta_binding_used_olp_sr?ie=UTF8&condition=used&qid=&sr</a>=</span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
books is out-of-print.</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The book is available at two locations at the University of Wisconsin.</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://search.library.wisc.edu/catalog/999539450602121">https://search.library.wisc.edu/catalog/999539450602121</a></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>American
Anthropologist</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> </span><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">reviewed
the book in 1956.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1525/aa.1956.58.4.02a00290/pdf"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1525/aa.1956.58.4.02a00290/pdf</span></span></span></a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">The
reviewer wrote approvingly: “The authors conclude in convincing
fashion that the fragmentary human remains, representing an unusually
long-and narrow-headed female about 30 years of age, came from a sand
deposit of late Pleistocene Age; that they probably antedate the
Classic Folsom artifacts found in the area; that they were
contemporaneous with the native horse, an extinct antelope, and other
Pleistocene fauna.”</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
Quarterly Review of Biology</span></span></i><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">
also gave a positive review in 1958.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/402429"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/402429</span></span></span></a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">The
reviewer commented that “[t]his careful study of an important find
provides a welcome antidote for some of the inspirational hunches
that still plague paleoanthropology.” </span></span></span><i><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">SLAM!</span></span></i></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">While
not a review of the book, </span><span style="font-style: normal;">a
1996 </span><span style="font-style: normal;">article </span><span style="font-style: normal;">in
</span><i>American Antiquity</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
concerns </span><span style="font-style: normal;">investigations
conducted at the Midland site and on the Midland skeleton from 1989
through 1992.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.argonaut.arizona.edu/articles/holliday_metlzer1996.pdf"><span style="font-style: normal;">http://www.argonaut.arizona.edu/articles/holliday_metlzer1996.pdf</span></a></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">T</span><span style="font-style: normal;">heir
conclusion includes the following:</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">...(3)
the human remains there associated with the valley-margin facies of a
lacustrine carbonate that is well dated in the region and rarely is >10,000 B.P.; and (4) all numerical dating methods applied at the
site produced unreliable results. We find no compelling evidence that
the human remains from the Midland site are older than Folsom age;
they may be contemporary with or younger than the Folsom occupation.”</span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">In
other words, no one really knows how old anything is there at the
Midland site. The skeleton is probably less than 10,000 years old.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
lead author of the book, Fred Wendorf, was an accomplished
archaeologist in his own right. He is more well-known for his
archaeological work in Africa, than for his work in Texas. He wrote
<i>The Midland Discovery</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> when he
was </span><i>30</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> years old, and
lived to the age of 80, dying in 2015.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://msu-anthropology.github.io/deoa-ss16/wendorf/wendorf.html"><span style="font-style: normal;">https://msu-anthropology.github.io/deoa-ss16/wendorf/wendorf.html</span></a></span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Near
the end of the ten paragraphs of Clovis-folk discussion, Fehrenbach
links them with</span><span style="font-style: normal;"> the three
great stone heads found at the Trinity River. A quick web search
finds that few-to-no archaeologists regard them as authentic. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><a href="https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/bcm01">https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/bcm01</a></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">At
this point, to be charitable to Fehrenbach, he was reporting the
latest information as of 1968. I suspect that he found </span><i>The
Midland Discovery</i><span style="font-style: normal;">, read about
the Trinity River heads, and integrated both </span><span style="font-style: normal;">with
the knowledge he read from </span><span style="font-style: normal;">then-current
books on </span><span style="font-style: normal;">archeology and
pre-historic humans. Yes, he could have </span><span style="font-style: normal;">been
cautious</span><span style="font-style: normal;">, and stuck with only
the Clovis reports. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">But,
these entries are in </span><span style="font-style: normal;">the</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
</span><i>2000 edition</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> of </span><i>Lone
Star</i><span style="font-style: normal;">. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">However,
</span><span style="font-style: normal;">Fehrenbach warns in </span><span style="font-style: normal;">the</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
foreword in the 2000 edition that “the narrative [of the 1968
edition] was largely drawn from contemporary sources” (xiii)</span><span style="font-style: normal;">.
</span><span style="font-style: normal;">He saw no reason to change
the book. As a result, </span><span style="font-style: normal;">one
comes away with a rather dramatic and inaccurate knowledge of early
Texan settlement.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">The
drama with the Midland Discovery and the Trinity Heads consume </span><span style="font-style: normal;">ten
paragraphs </span><span style="font-style: normal;">over </span><span style="font-style: normal;">two
pages in a 15-page chapter. If the above is not </span><span style="font-style: normal;">enough
to</span><span style="font-style: normal;"> make you quite skeptical
of this author’s reporting, </span><span style="font-style: normal;">then
</span><span style="font-style: normal;">consider the slow build-up
and blunt finale to this passage:</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">There
was, simply, very little fat, and the campsites of the early Amerinds
have revealed mortars and pestles, seeds, and remnants of roots among
their small bones, as well as cracked human femurs. Broken and sucked
human marrow bones have been discovered preserved in the ancient muck
of the coastal prairies in great quantity – proof that where the
Old Americans [Clovis] had been able to live well on mastodon and
elephant meat, the aborigines who replaced them came to depend on
other foods. In modern times all Texas tribes except one – the
late-coming Comanches – practiced at least some form of ritual
cannibalism, a grisly ceremonial residue of a harsh past” (8).</span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Grisly
web-research showed these statements to be largely accepted by the
public and historians, including that the Comanches did not practice
ritual cannibalism.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">That
said, what are some of the tribes that the Spanish, French, and
Americans encountered?</span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In
rough order of mention, there are the following:</span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Comanches
(not cannibals)</span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mayans
(built vast cities)</span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Toltecs
(ditto)</span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Aztecs
(ditto)</span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Puebloans
(civilized)</span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Basket-Makers
(lived in caves)</span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jumanos
(semi-agricultural)</span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mount
Builder (culture was influenced by Mexico)</span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Caddo
Confederacy (numerous and powerful)</span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Choctaws
(resembled the Caddo)</span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Cherokee
(ditto)</span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Creeks
(ditto)</span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Fehrenbach
describes the Caddo Confederacy in some detail, talking about their
political system, their countryside, and bows. He describes them as
peaceful and weepy, not prioritizing “the cult of courage” (12).</span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Anyways,
he also mentions the following:</span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Atakapan
(“man-eaters”)</span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Karankawa
(even worse)</span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Coahuiltecans
(they used the resources of the countryside more fully than anyone
else)</span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Tonkawas
(lived on the Central Plateau for a very long time)</span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Apaches
(raided like no one else)</span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Navajo
(splintered from the Apache)</span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
Apache were the polar opposite of the Caddo. The only reason that the
Apache didn’t take over the Caddo is (according to Fehrenbach)
because the Apache didn’t want the Caddo’s land. The Apache lived
off of buffalo, and the Caddo lived in piney forests.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">He
describes </span><span style="font-style: normal;">the</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
Apache </span><span style="font-style: normal;">as extreme: extremely
fragmented, extremely </span><span style="font-style: normal;">democra</span><span style="font-style: normal;">tic</span><span style="font-style: normal;">;
</span><span style="font-style: normal;">they rarely-to-never took
orders from anyone;</span><span style="font-style: normal;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal;">leaders
had little influence if they made mistakes or failed. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">Fehrenbach
concludes the chapter by commenting that since the Apaches feared
nothing, </span><span style="font-style: normal;">there was nothing to
unite them</span><span style="font-style: normal;">.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Stepping
away from the relatively noisy and not-entirely-accurate trees, and
focusing on the close-enough-to-2017-opinion forest, one sees
foreboding in this chapter. The Apache were tenacious enough to
combat the U.S. military well into the late 19</span><sup><span style="font-style: normal;">th</span></sup><span style="font-style: normal;">
century. One also notes the decidedly non-Texan Mayan, Toltec, etc.
Why would Fehrenbach mention them?</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In
case you didn’t already know, here’s the spoiler: Texas was once
part of Mexico. Spain colonized much (if not most) of the Americas.
Whatever Spanish policy was in place, it affected the Native
Americans in both present-day Mexico and Texas.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Whether
in Texas or Aztec Mexico, history </span><span style="font-style: normal;">seems
to </span><span style="font-style: normal;">consist </span><span style="font-style: normal;">largely</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
of </span><span style="font-style: normal;">bad guys trying to
slaughter each other, and the good guys living only because bad guys
haven’t slaughtered them (yet). </span><span style="font-style: normal;">The
</span><span style="font-style: normal;">fearless aggression and lack
of coordination are among the </span><span style="font-style: normal;">theme</span><span style="font-style: normal;">s
that </span><span style="font-style: normal;">run through Fehrenbach’s
book.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Wisconsin:
Nesbit’s book is far less dramatic. His writing on the Native
Americans is also much shorter.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">There
were three settlement periods in Wisconsin’s early history: the
Clovis of 10,000 B.C. to 7000 B.C., the Aqua-Plano of 7000 B.C. to
4500 B.C., and Boreal Archaic and Old Copper of 5000 B.C. to 500 B.C.
The Boreal Archaic developed into Early Woodland, and the Hopewell
began to replace the Early Woodland by 100 B.C. Then, this remarkable
passage:</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">[The
Hopewell] were related to similar cultures originating in present
Mexico: sedentary, with capabilities in farming, construction,
tool-making, and pottery well beyond those of the preceding cultures
on the upper Great Lakes. They built burial mounds as well as
impressive earthen structures for defense and ceremonial purposes.
Based more on agriculture and hunting, the Hopewell culture was more
stable than its predecessors; nonetheless, these people were gone
before the Europeans arrived” (12).</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Whoah.
Fehrenbach also talks about how the Mound (or Mount) Builders of the
Mississippi culture died out before the Europeans arrived. He also
mentions that the Caddo are descendants of the Mound Builders, with
which Wikipedia agrees.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mississippian_culture">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mississippian_culture</a></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Anyways,
he moves onto the tribes that the Europeans did encounter, within the
context of Wisconsin history. He mentions the following:</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Huron
(they lived east of Lake Huron)</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ottawa
(ditto)</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Chippewa
(north of Lake Huron, and all around Lake Superior)</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Menominee
(in Wisconsin)</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Winnebago
(ditto)</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sauk
(ditto)</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Fox
(ditto)</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Miami
(ditto)</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Potawatomi
(western lower Michigan)</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In
case you don’t know the Great Lakes, Wisconsin has Lake Superior to
the north, and Lake Michigan to the east. Lake Huron is on the east
side of the State of Michigan.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Nebsitt
concludes this chapter by describing how the fur trade affected the
Native Americans so that they ultimately resembled the Chippewa
hunting culture, versus the Huron farming culture.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">History
is fascinating for so many reasons. It is profound to realize that
climate and the land affect cultures, and how people’s cultures
physically affect the land itself. History is terrifying in its
violence, pitiable in its suffering, and most striking of all...eery
in how certain cultures apparently just...disappear.</span></span></div>
Christopher Loydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12406224790720542509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765278438126144609.post-64836496565794661362017-10-23T18:11:00.000-07:002017-10-23T18:11:55.988-07:00Move: to Madison, WI (Day 200)<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This blog post is
long enough that in-post links are a good idea.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="#Part1">
Part 1: Intro.</a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="#Part2">
Part 2: The economics of flying back to Houston. Repeatedly.</a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="#Part3">
Part 3: Learning to Hunt Raccoons.</a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="#Part4">
Part 4: Lessons Learned.</a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"></a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a name="Part1">
Part 1.</a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
After more than six months, the vacation mode had run its course. One or two visits to downtown Madison, just to wander around, were sufficient. When I was in downtown most recently, the best moment was tracking two mice that lived in a planter bed on State Street. Those rodents were about as interesting as the best pieces of art in the <a href="http://www.mmoca.org/">Madison Museum of Contemporary Art</a>.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Summer has ended,
and with it the tornado warnings and the sultry 90-degree days. Even
with those highs, night temps dipped well into the 70s. Cool enough
to sleep with the windows open. I had to use the air conditioner only
once. Temperatures have gently drifted down since August. October in Madison is like January in Houston. Lows in the 40s,
highs in the 60s. Later this week, lows will move into the 30s.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
When it came to
increasing the amount of weight that I could lift, progress stalled
at 70 lbs by mid-August. In late August, I had to head back to
Houston to move furniture, and drive the moving truck to Jefferson
City, Missouri, in time to see the total eclipse of the sun. After
totality ended, I finished the drive to Madison.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijtqinxkxtpi6qDjAmqGiKRmdhOdUVLfMfRMeuMR8aecmSK7tEP1fwasBwU8KIkEIOGr-g_pVgfyhlqovCl56A9RpO46HQnroeAUKOvtIVhjQhbiSGM4gaPbdLw18qgw88TVwMbj50kdk/s1600/IMG_1849.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijtqinxkxtpi6qDjAmqGiKRmdhOdUVLfMfRMeuMR8aecmSK7tEP1fwasBwU8KIkEIOGr-g_pVgfyhlqovCl56A9RpO46HQnroeAUKOvtIVhjQhbiSGM4gaPbdLw18qgw88TVwMbj50kdk/s320/IMG_1849.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
The eclipse was awesome. This eclipse picture is not.</div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">
<a name="Part2">
Part 2.</a></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Less than a month after
moving furniture, </span><span style="font-style: normal;">I had to go
back after Hurricane Harvey to survey </span><span style="font-style: normal;">the</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
old house. The house came through apparently unscathed.</p>
Southwest Airlines was charging </span><span style="font-style: normal;">the
highest prices I had ever seen </span><span style="font-style: normal;">for
flights from Milwaukee or Chicago to Houston. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">The
cost was </span><span style="font-style: normal;">about </span><span style="font-style: normal;">the
same</span><span style="font-style: normal;"> as </span><span style="font-style: normal;">what
Delta charged </span><span style="font-style: normal;">for “Comfort
Plus” from Madison to San Antonio. I chose Delta. </span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Earlier
in the year, I redeemed some Rapid Rewards points to get a cheap flight from Chicago to Houston for early October. That worked great.
Until I missed the bus to Chicago. The next one would have arrived
much too close to boarding time. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">S</span><span style="font-style: normal;">o,
I called Southwest Airlines to re-schedule the flight for the
following day. Despite getting a refund (in points), I still paid
$550 for the remaining Business Select seat. So, the free (except for
Early Bird check-in and government-mandated fees) flight became the
$550 flight. If there was any good news in this, it was that the more
you pay Southwest Airlines, the more points you earn. This $550
flight will eventually pay for </span><span style="font-style: normal;">at
least </span><span style="font-style: normal;">one free flight in
2018, reducing the cost-per-flight to a more reasonable $225. </span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">For all the <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/niallmccarthy/2015/07/20/passengers-biggest-complaints-about-air-travel-infographic/">complaining</a> about the <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Weekend/airline-decline-flying-high-reached-lows/story?id=9832262">decline</a> in the <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g1-i10702-k7914939-Virgin_Atlantic_and_Delta_foreboding_of_a_serious_decline-Air_Travel.html">air travel experience</a>, some of it might be due to the <a href="https://www.fastcodesign.com/3051075/why-airline-travel-sucks-its-partially-your-fault">race to the bottom</a> to offer customers the <a href="https://medium.com/hyperlink-mag/the-sky-high-race-to-the-bottom-fefbc86595c8">lowest possible fare</a>. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">There are analyses
that compare seat widths and overall room to what was available <a href="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/160223121745-seat-size-infographic-super-169.jpg">in prior decades</a></span><span style="font-style: normal;">.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Paying
about in the neighborhood of $400 to $800 for Delta’s “Comfort
Plus,” or $500 to $600 for Southwest Airline’s “Business
Select,” brings a clear improvement in the passenger experience.
Delta’s “Comfort Plus” offers somewhat larger seats, and
additional four inches of leg room (as of 2017). Southwest Airline’s
“Business Select” puts the passenger in the first 15 boarding
positions, and you get a free drink coupon. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">No
difference in seating; just much better odds at sitting near the
front, </span><span style="font-style: normal;">and drinking one free
shot </span><span style="font-style: normal;">of </span><span style="font-style: normal;">vodka</span><span style="font-style: normal;">.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">In
other words, if you want a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtwNXKMdu8o">1980s flight experience</a>, then
you’re probably going to have to pay <a href="https://www.enotrans.org/etl-material/is-air-travel-becoming-pricier-for-travelers/">adjusted-for-inflation</a> 1980s
prices for it. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lipckhgG5g">Sony Walkman</a> not included.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">
<a name="Part3">
Part 3.</a></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Far,
far cheaper </span><span style="font-style: normal;">experiences </span><span style="font-style: normal;">ha</span><span style="font-style: normal;">ve</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
been <a href="http://dnr.wi.gov/education/outdoorskills/lth.html">Learn to Hunt</a> events</span><span style="font-style: normal;">,
as well as <a href="http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/wildlifehabitat/training.html">Carnivore Tracking and Wolf Ecology classes</a></span><span style="font-style: normal;">.
The DNR hosts these events.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">In
late September/early October, I learned to hunt raccoons </span><span style="font-style: normal;">at
the <a href="http://dnr.wi.gov/education/mackenzie/">Mackenzie Education Center</a></span><span style="font-style: normal;">.
</span><span style="font-style: normal;">Hunting raccoons is done at
night, and involves dogs chasing the scent of raccoons. The dogs let
out a particular bark or yell after they “tree” a raccoon. When
the hunter</span><span style="font-style: normal;">s</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
hear this kind of barking, they use GPS to find their dog. At the
tree, the hunter</span><span style="font-style: normal;">s</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
use bright lights to shine up into trees to look for the raccoon.
This proves tricky when the trees still have most of their leaves.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">After
riding in a truck, waiting for dogs to bark, walking and walking
through forests and cornfields to look for the dogs, shining lights
up </span><span style="font-style: normal;">into</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
trees, </span><span style="font-style: normal;">and</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
wondering if the raccoons went to an adjacent tree, our crew got </span><span style="font-style: normal;">only</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
one raccoon. </span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Despite
this, there were several notable outcomes:</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">1)
</span><span style="font-style: normal;">The one raccoon our team got
was a rare cinnamon-colored raccoon. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">How
rare? Comments from fellow hunters included "I've never seen one before" or "People spend decades hunting before they see one." One of the instructors said that cinnamon raccoons are so rare that their skins are not worth as much as the more common raccoons. "It takes three raccoons to make a hat." One cinnamon raccoon is two too few.</p>
2) I shot a </span><span style="font-style: normal;">real </span><span style="font-style: normal;">gun
for the first time. No, I did not shoot any raccoons. My first time
shooting was during target practice. The gun was a 0.22LR (“twenty
two long rifle”), and targets were 25 to 30 yards away.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNYG85Ta6SjiKHwtvKbqU3dUFc3xwqDn-K081CSBGhQ3laCrKWovPIrKL7yyyg_GxmhrTqh36bP3lX5U4j1Sw6cRzv82fFSoEe2lX5wy8tQOfUVJffFvFseqFZMZLnpdalFohl5sVG_34/s1600/LTH+Self.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="444" data-original-width="718" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNYG85Ta6SjiKHwtvKbqU3dUFc3xwqDn-K081CSBGhQ3laCrKWovPIrKL7yyyg_GxmhrTqh36bP3lX5U4j1Sw6cRzv82fFSoEe2lX5wy8tQOfUVJffFvFseqFZMZLnpdalFohl5sVG_34/s320/LTH+Self.bmp" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Yours truly shooting for the first time.</div>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnxYal3K8bL7VqFjQL-rnPZCANuwAUFVhkOOetYdwSm_6nH-h2a8is3fZKzFs-rnbai9as6MR_2eqbFLB7Q2D8zCAaDKQN3hhLolTbd1PWupv0LVNaYjxq2nJyfR7lSuvVJ8JMXu8_NIE/s1600/IMG_1867%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnxYal3K8bL7VqFjQL-rnPZCANuwAUFVhkOOetYdwSm_6nH-h2a8is3fZKzFs-rnbai9as6MR_2eqbFLB7Q2D8zCAaDKQN3hhLolTbd1PWupv0LVNaYjxq2nJyfR7lSuvVJ8JMXu8_NIE/s320/IMG_1867%255B1%255D.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Just hitting the target </span><span style="font-style: normal;">sheet
</span><span style="font-style: normal;">four out of five times
impressed the instructors.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">3)
</span><span style="font-style: normal;">The lead instructor made more
than </span><span style="font-style: normal;">one</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
reference to the book </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10365.Where_the_Red_Fern_Grows"><i>Where the Red Fern Grows</i></a><span style="font-style: normal;">. In fact, upon arriving, the lead asked me if I was familiar
with the book. After responding in the negative, she offered a free
copy (there were stacks on the stable). She also said that the movie
version of it was playing in the classroom.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">F</span><span style="font-style: normal;">or
those of you who grew </span><span style="font-style: normal;">up </span><span style="font-style: normal;">in
Texas, have you heard of </span><i>Where the Red Fern Grows</i><span style="font-style: normal;">?</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">
<a name="Part4">
Part 4.</a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"></a></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">W</span><span style="font-style: normal;">hile
I don’t yet have a “review” of the Madison area</span><span style="font-style: normal;">,
I do have some lessons learned:</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">1)
Wisconsin is known overall for cheese, beer, and bratwurst. If you
don’t like any one of those food items, then you’ll miss out on
social experiences. When asked how one can socially integrate with
others, a predominant answer </span><span style="font-style: normal;">wa</span><span style="font-style: normal;">s
“Drink with others.” </span><span style="font-style: normal;">Learn
the difference between good cheese and </span><i>great</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
cheese.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">2)
There are <a href="http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--ctca3pyr--/c_fit,fl_progressive,q_80,w_636/lycxggtxzp2l0psfs0mh.png">more bars here than grocery stores</a>. If you avoid
bars, then you’re really missing out. The diversity of bars is
noteworthy. Your best bet is to sample a whole bunch bars all over
the county. When you’ve found “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rS0VQOHX7lM">your bar</a>,” you’ll know
it.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">3)
Cross-country relocation (especially outside your “<a href="http://garreau.com/main.cfm13.htm">nation</a>”) is a prime opportunity to do random things that you never did
</span><span style="font-style: normal;">before</span><span style="font-style: normal;">.
Two good sources are Meetup.com, and the events listing in your local
free newspaper. In the Madison-area, that would be the</span><i>
<a href="http://isthmus.com/">Isthmus</a></i><span style="font-style: normal;">. Doing that has
led to an introduction </span><span style="font-style: normal;">to
</span><span style="font-style: normal;"><a href="https://www.meetup.com/sheephead/">Sheepshead</a>.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">The
one exception to this lesson is all of the </span><span style="font-style: normal;">interaction
with the Wisconsin DN</span><span style="font-style: normal;">R. The
shortest version of the story is that I e-mailed someone at the DNR
about learning how to hunt. They put me on an e-mail list. They send
out the occasional e-mail, and I poke around the DNR website. One
thing leads to another...</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq9FzZx7DHIxDpDuptHRHi2CkjH6QqK-8POP3GpTomiYmEgeXDT7OtH6uDR30MFq8mEUpvQpVwS1D6OAgfRQ1FgGUHznSCpA2rhDBpzZjsno0WDid4a4rUQn9JoYwkKERf6MTcdjMUrIo/s1600/Resized952017093095184424.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq9FzZx7DHIxDpDuptHRHi2CkjH6QqK-8POP3GpTomiYmEgeXDT7OtH6uDR30MFq8mEUpvQpVwS1D6OAgfRQ1FgGUHznSCpA2rhDBpzZjsno0WDid4a4rUQn9JoYwkKERf6MTcdjMUrIo/s320/Resized952017093095184424.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">It leads to the occasional group photo.</span><br />
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">4)
Yes, it is possible to get a sunburn at this latitude. Especially during the months of May, June, and July. It may require a
couple of hours, but it is possible. Normal protection techniques
(Fedora hat, long-sleeved shirt) are not enough. The sun hangs lower
in the sky for longer periods of time. You may not get burned at 1:00
pm, but instead at 3:00 pm. The simplest solution is to just put on
sunblock every two hours, and keep wearing a hat and long-sleeved
shirt.</p>
5) When it comes to flights, compare prices from Madison, Milwaukee, and
Chicago airports. Buses will take you from Madison to Milwaukee and
Chicago. You have may to create a matrix of airfare plus </span><span style="font-style: normal;">bus</span><span style="font-style: normal;">fare.
However you do it, you must plan ahead. If you plan on taking a bus
to Milwaukee or Chica</span><span style="font-style: normal;">g</span><span style="font-style: normal;">o,
then be prepared to walk around looking for the bus stop. The buses
will not linger, waiting for late passengers.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">6)
If you’re going by yourself to a downtown Madison event, </span><span style="font-style: normal;">then</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
there is no reason to pay for parking. With enough circling, you can
find a free spot. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">If bringing
along family or friends, then you’ll have to negotiate with them.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">O</span><span style="font-style: normal;">utside
the specific-to-Madison context, there is another lesson learned:</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Regarding
</span><span style="font-style: normal;">AAA, </span><span style="font-style: normal;">it</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
may be worth it for renting a moving truck from Penske. Paying $40 -
$60 </span><span style="font-style: normal;">for </span><span style="font-style: normal;">the lowest-tier AAA service may save well over $100 on a truck
rental.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">As
for towing and roadside service, your auto insurance may already
offer it, for $10 to $30 per six months. Cheaper than AAA? </span><span style="font-style: normal;">Maybe,
m</span><span style="font-style: normal;">aybe not. Check the terms of
your auto insurance to see what they offer. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">If
you don’t have towing and roadside service from anyone, then
consider getting it if your think your car is likely to break down.
Or, if you often ride with friends, and they drive old or unreliable
cars. I’ve not used AAA for roadside service ever since I began
driving newer, more reliable cars.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">As
for car rental discounts, AAA is almost worth it...unless you’re a
Costco member. For example, the price for a given Hertz car for a
given time period would have been </span><span style="font-style: normal;">about</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
$170, without AAA. With AAA, the cost would have been about $100.
</span><i>Worth it</i><span style="font-style: normal;">.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">With
Costco, a similar car at Alamo was about $53. </span><i>Even more
worth it.</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> If you are a Costco
member, </span><span style="font-style: normal;">then</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
reserve cars through them, and let the AAA membership expire. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">Heck,
if you rent cars for more than one or two days per year, getting a Costco membership
just for the travel benefits </span><span style="font-style: normal;">alone</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
may be worth it.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">In
real estate news, the sub-$1000 one-bedroom apartments have all but disappeared within biking distance of the office. At the moment, one is better off sharing a two-bedroom apartment for $1400ish per month ($700ish per bedroom).</p>
The cheapest condos that are not on a through street start at about $130,000 plus $220 monthly fee. I would have to stay in one of those condos for at least five years before the cost of buying that condo was less than renting over the same time period. Since I've been in this town for just over six months, buying does not seem like a good idea right now.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Final
note, regarding assimilation: Go Packers.</span></div>
Christopher Loydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12406224790720542509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765278438126144609.post-77190529089496830642017-07-15T19:57:00.000-07:002017-07-15T19:57:04.865-07:00Move: to Madison, WI (Day 100)
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Believe it or not,
the logistics of moving to Madison are still not complete. Most of my stuff is still in Houston. Naturally, I miss
people more than stuff, but it sure would be nice to have a couch.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Eventually, the
logistics will be complete, and cultural adaptation will
dominate. While Wisconsin is not completely foreign from Texas, it is
different (enough) in terms of <a href="https://www.travelwisconsin.com/article/other-specialty-foods/kringle-wisconsins-official-pastry">local cuisine</a>, <a href="https://www.everfest.com/wisconsin/madison-festivals">events</a>, and so forth. As the
locals like to bring up during our conversations, I still haven’t experienced winter. Readers of
this blog can look forward to moment-by-moment commentary about snow.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One of the things that
I’ve done to blend in is...buy grid-patterned shirts that are
appropriate for the office. Male Houston office workers tend towards solid-colored shirts,
polos, or shirts with otherwise simple patterns. Many folks in the
Madison office have similar taste. However, there are enough men
wearing a wide variety of plaid and grid-patterned shirts that it
became clear that I was missing something. One web search later, with some price
comparisons, two shirts arrived at the PO Box. Total cost was under $80; shipping was free.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Speaking of the PO
Box, if you have one, then you should consider <a href="https://ribbs.usps.gov/mtcsa/documents/tech_guides/PBSAGuide.pdf">getting a street address for it</a>. It’s free, and you get something that
resembles a normal address. If you allow the Post Office to have your
signature on file, then FedEx and UPS had ought to hand over your
purchased items to the Post Office. Commentary on the web isn’t
clear on the overall effectiveness of this, but since it costs no
more to have those features after you pay for the PO Box, it is a free experiment (minus losses
from items being...lost).</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In other news, I’ve joined a gym to achieve the goal of safely lifting 100 lbs. That means lifting 100 lbs
multiple times without too much straining or effort. Currently, I can
lift 50 lbs safely. Why do this, especially so far from New Year’s?
Two reasons:</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
1) Moving</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
2) Volunteering at <a href="http://www.district1ems.com/">District 1 EMS</a>.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
When I helped a
co-worker move, it became clear that my upper body strength was
inadequate for many tasks. After decades of similar
embarrassment, it was time for change. Plus, when it comes time to
move my own stuff, having any extra strength will obviously make the
job easier.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As for District 1
EMS, they ask point-blank <a href="http://www.district1ems.com/becomeanemt.html">on the form</a> if you can lift 100 lbs.
While they will accept you if you can’t lift that much, it is
the kind of question to which I would really like to say “yes.”
This is really about safety.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Aside from work and
chores, major ongoing tasks include: playing <a href="https://www.meetup.com/sheephead/events/241582895/">Sheepshead at Laurel Tavern</a>, learning Mandarin, reading more about Wisconsin
history, walking more segments of the Ice Age Trail, volunteering for
the DNR or similar groups, and <a href="https://hackaday.io/project/25852-monitoring-an-aquatic-ecosystem-using-raspberry-pi">Monitoring an Aquatic Ecosystem Using a Raspberry Pi</a> and <a href="https://www.atlas-scientific.com/product_pages/kits/env-sds-kit.html">Sensors from Atlas Scientific</a>.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Time management is a
good skill to have, along with budgeting, cooking, and writing in
cursive.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In real estate news, the landlord offered
to renew the lease for one year, raising the monthly rent by less
than 2%. Meanwhile, Madison-area real estate went up by more than
<a href="http://www.madcitydreamhomes.com/madison-home-report.php#read=average-price">twice that amount</a>. That sends a strong signal to keep renting.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
But, let’s say
that the landlord did not offer to renew the lease. What then?
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Well, within a few
miles of the office (biking distance), Zillow reports 12 one-bedroom
apartments available for no more than $1,000 per month. In the same
region, there are three one-bedroom condos available for the same
price. There are no townhouses or single-family houses available in
the area for that price.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
For the equivalent price of a property, a visit to the <i>New York </i><span style="font-style: normal;"><i>Times</i>
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/upshot/buy-rent-calculator.html">Buy vs Rent Calculator</a> is in order. With</span> the $1,000 per
month ceiling, and some assumptions about certain numbers, the<span style="font-style: normal;">
Calculator </span><span style="font-style: normal;">showed the
following purchase prices at at given condo fee. The condo fees below are taken from actual listings; they're not made up</span><span style="font-style: normal;">:</span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
$104,000
for a place with a condo fee of $193/month</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">$108,000
a</span><span style="font-style: normal;">t a condo fee of $164/month</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">$1</span><span style="font-style: normal;">31</span><span style="font-style: normal;">,000
</span><span style="font-style: normal;">without a condo fee</span><span style="font-style: normal;">.</span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In
other words, if there is a condo selling for $104,000, and has a
monthly fee of $193/month, then that is equivalent to paying $1,000
per month in rent, at certain values of down payment, duration of
residence, property taxes, etc.</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">At
a max price of $104,000, there are four places for sale </span><span style="font-style: normal;">in
the same region that has 15 places to rent at no more than $1,000 per
month</span><span style="font-style: normal;">. Increasing the max
price to $108,000, </span><span style="font-style: normal;">a total of
</span><span style="font-style: normal;">five </span><span style="font-style: normal;">places
are for sale</span><span style="font-style: normal;">. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">Increasing
the max price to $1</span><span style="font-style: normal;">31</span><span style="font-style: normal;">,000,
and excluding all condos and townhouses and properties that face busy
roads, that number is zero.</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
Remember, there are a total of 15 places to rent for at or below $1,000 per month in this part of town. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Yep.
For the moment, I’m still better off renting. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">It
makes little sense to leave a quiet neighborhood to pay more to live
in a louder, more polluted neighborhood with a longer commute.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
Christopher Loydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12406224790720542509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765278438126144609.post-15534244920569404762017-07-04T20:22:00.000-07:002017-07-04T20:22:03.119-07:00Compare: the Histories of Texas and Wisconsin (Intro)
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This analysis uses
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9867929-lone-star"><i>Lone Star: a History of Texas and the Texans</i></a><span style="font-style: normal;">
(updated edition), by T.R. Fehrenbach as the (troublesome) source for
Texas history. For Wisconsin history, the analysis uses </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1581655.Wisconsin"><i>Wisconsin: a History</i></a><span style="font-style: normal;"> (second edition), by
Robert C. Nesbit (revised and updated by William F. Thompson). </span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">This
analysis will not only compare the two states’ respective
histories, but also effectively be reviews of the two sources.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">The
format of this analysis will be as follows. A topic will be stated,
followed by three entries: Both, Texas, and Wisconsin. The “Both”
entry will </span><span style="font-style: normal;">summarize what
both books say about their respective states, if what they say is
essentially the same. The “Texas” and “Wisconsin” entries
will cover information that is unique to each state. Exceptions will be noted.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As topics are posted, each of the below entries will be a hyperlink to that blog post.<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Topics:</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">The
Ice Age</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">The
Land</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">The
First Settlers</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">The
Spanish</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">The
French</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">The
Missions</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">The
Fur Trade</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">The
British</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">The
Consequences of the American Revolution</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">The
Americans</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">The
Southerners</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">The
Yankees</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">The
Consequences of the French Revolution</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">The
Settlements after 1830</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">What
happened in 1836</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Statehood</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">What
happened by 1848</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Civil
War</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Post-Civil
War Agriculture</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Reconstruction</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Industrialization</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">The
Meaning of Government</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">The
Rise of Economics</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">The
End of the Frontier</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">La
Follete</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">The
Social Organism </span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">The
20</span><sup><span style="font-style: normal;">th</span></sup><span style="font-style: normal;">
Century</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Globalization</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Relatively
Current Trends</span></div>
Christopher Loydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12406224790720542509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765278438126144609.post-37846098306738023192017-06-18T14:33:00.001-07:002017-06-18T14:33:28.504-07:00Walk: the Ice Age Trail<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Upon moving to
Wisconsin, I sought out history books to help explain the cultural
background of the state; to understand where people were coming from. As it happens, the history of
Wisconsin begins with the Ice Age. At least, the Ice Age is mentioned
in Chapter 1 in each of two history books.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The first is
<a href="http://www.worldcat.org/title/wisconsin-the-story-of-the-badger-state/oclc/143628692"><i>Wisconsin: The Story of the Badger State</i></a><span style="font-style: normal;">,
by Norman K. Risjord. The second is </span><a href="http://shop.milwaukeemap.com/wisconsin-a-history-nesbit"><i>Wisconsin: A History</i></a><span style="font-style: normal;">,
by Robert C. Nesbit (2</span><sup><span style="font-style: normal;">nd</span></sup><span style="font-style: normal;">
edition, revised and updated by William F. Thompson).</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"> Risjord
</span><span style="font-style: normal;">describes the Ice Age</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
dramatically: “The story of modern Wisconsin begins with the ice, a
moving mountain of ice that scoured the countryside and rearranged
the hills and valleys. It is called the Wisconsin glacier because of
the profound impact it had on the Badger State, and it was the last
of four glaciers that had overrrun North America in the last million
years” (1).</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"> Nesbit
/ Thompson puts it more soberly: “</span><span style="font-style: normal;">As
the glaciers retreated northward for the last time around 7000 B.C.,
the character of the land and ecology changed. The land warped
upward, relieved of the tremendous weight of the glaciers, changing
lake levels, contours, and drainage patterns. As the climate warmed,
spruce forests were replaced by pines” (10).</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"> The
Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey </span><span style="font-style: normal;"><a href="https://wgnhs.uwex.edu/wisconsin-geology/ice-age/">Ice Age geology web page</a> has a wonderful image </span><span style="font-style: normal;">that
shows </span><span style="font-style: normal;">the extent of the last
glaciation </span><span style="font-style: normal;">(the Laurentide
Ice Sheet)</span><span style="font-style: normal;"> that occurred over
Wisconsin:</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://wgnhs.uwex.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/glaciers1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="577" height="320" src="https://wgnhs.uwex.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/glaciers1.jpg" width="230" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-style: normal;">They
state: “The Laurentide Ice Sheet and the large volume of meltwater
flowing from it greatly altered the landscape of Wisconsin. As a
result, the landscape of the area glaciated during the last part of
the Wisconsin Glaciation is notably different than that of areas
glaciated earlier in the Ice Age (where erosion has destroyed most
earlier glacial landforms) and areas that were never glaciated. For
example, the outermost limit of the last glacier is marked by a
conspicuous ridge of glacially deposited debris. The many lakes and
wetlands and the irregular landscape that characterize so many areas
of eastern and northern Wisconsin are also a direct result of the
last glacier.”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"> It
turns out that I’ve been walking segments of the <a href="http://www.iceagetrail.org/">Ice Age Trail</a> in my hikes around Devil’s Lake State Park. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">The
IAT roughly traces the extent of the last glaciation. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">Curious
to experience more of natural Wisconsin, I looked up a nearby trail
segment of the IAT. The nearest one appeared to the <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/dir//43.1441158,-89.6701955/@43.143924,-89.6738433,17z">Table Bluff Segment, near Cross Plains</a>.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"> It
was a hike that I took this morning, when the weather was partly
cloudy, breezy, and temperatures were in the 70s. Getting there took
about as half as long as the drive to Devil’s Lake. Also, parking
is free, but there is no ranger station nor any facilities of any
kind, except for signposts, and the occasional bench. While hiking
boots weren’t strictly necessary, sturdy shoes are a must.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"> Unlike
Devil’s Lake State Park's rocky trails leading towards cliffs, the Table Bluff Segment trail is through a mixture of open prairie and
woods. The trail itself is kind of hard to photograph. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi306T3yT7KBGcxfaVfKrYbXA_bcihNsTocb6Ymdw0lU7UWTu6rZTCmMxCaL_DpyMGAkJryvw_tvXy_GD_XetHjrrLYuthy1dDomXUmKYH-zeiO1YVCqjklPP_zrY_nUedUyp4Do0-C-UE/s1600/IMG_1745%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi306T3yT7KBGcxfaVfKrYbXA_bcihNsTocb6Ymdw0lU7UWTu6rZTCmMxCaL_DpyMGAkJryvw_tvXy_GD_XetHjrrLYuthy1dDomXUmKYH-zeiO1YVCqjklPP_zrY_nUedUyp4Do0-C-UE/s320/IMG_1745%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>The trailhead</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i> </i> </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_3st-RjJ8v9t2ngePZdvS0Vd1Jzw2Vh_5iYPi1_ZkuTVF3_GhvojH7sgd1Hb_rXumJtNFJoHFwItDZVh_Ovr43Rg-2Ip5PkHsgCaBci8a5b2Tmp4l4gjOKQAn-quM-Xn5BFJmEU-Sb_U/s1600/IMG_1747%255B1%255D.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_3st-RjJ8v9t2ngePZdvS0Vd1Jzw2Vh_5iYPi1_ZkuTVF3_GhvojH7sgd1Hb_rXumJtNFJoHFwItDZVh_Ovr43Rg-2Ip5PkHsgCaBci8a5b2Tmp4l4gjOKQAn-quM-Xn5BFJmEU-Sb_U/s320/IMG_1747%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Looking back at the parking lot</i></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1X8xoR5BwTSCWsLUTGqbtu5XCyFn4gcIXoKf6L1A9npCJX1zWd1yz8E8eh1qOscxSC2miLfdWNGmarQGQpTWpZ7uYExplIpCx_J1rtVmrft1KHZC6ZqUf3NzDIBPkE0qME5oMMpupDgo/s1600/IMG_1751%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1X8xoR5BwTSCWsLUTGqbtu5XCyFn4gcIXoKf6L1A9npCJX1zWd1yz8E8eh1qOscxSC2miLfdWNGmarQGQpTWpZ7uYExplIpCx_J1rtVmrft1KHZC6ZqUf3NzDIBPkE0qME5oMMpupDgo/s320/IMG_1751%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Into the woods</i> </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPREcoGP6ZjvgpuV5YJJgjkK-3uumouSWYoxADoLmh64pCQ_rdzTz5EKgBWIrg5Ip5xWFjA6vCAd2o12S2EhlHkMM-2RbSMdlFfcoe1bKQN0nWOMZbZd5dde-vcjULy_rbyD4VVtP1WRY/s1600/IMG_1749%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPREcoGP6ZjvgpuV5YJJgjkK-3uumouSWYoxADoLmh64pCQ_rdzTz5EKgBWIrg5Ip5xWFjA6vCAd2o12S2EhlHkMM-2RbSMdlFfcoe1bKQN0nWOMZbZd5dde-vcjULy_rbyD4VVtP1WRY/s320/IMG_1749%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Onto the prairie</i> </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc5Ax9oJuAVAYpjtZV30T2ukXwqabrOFEcWBBYhTD75EL8GuitdRYQ8eTcAbBOted5rx75yapff7UrNMmbThcjoVzz6Oss676rUC6BounBYMK6v1UgcWs0OT5NBI_bi6ZA0SZLXTYpHFM/s1600/IMG_1757%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc5Ax9oJuAVAYpjtZV30T2ukXwqabrOFEcWBBYhTD75EL8GuitdRYQ8eTcAbBOted5rx75yapff7UrNMmbThcjoVzz6Oss676rUC6BounBYMK6v1UgcWs0OT5NBI_bi6ZA0SZLXTYpHFM/s320/IMG_1757%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>At the other end of the trail</i> </div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAGlLWjofxSr_O9nKz6uGTni8ERZHAtyYBW9u0BPFKoNx9Ec07XdTS5L5iA8LcCih0mwzr7o2ubWAREw58Y1QKMjgBvNSkdDRLAQahUU6BaXxDBqgHuR_J0pYIkjI9XgA58X0xMiriyvE/s1600/IMG_1754%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAGlLWjofxSr_O9nKz6uGTni8ERZHAtyYBW9u0BPFKoNx9Ec07XdTS5L5iA8LcCih0mwzr7o2ubWAREw58Y1QKMjgBvNSkdDRLAQahUU6BaXxDBqgHuR_J0pYIkjI9XgA58X0xMiriyvE/s320/IMG_1754%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>Even photographing the signs is awkward, due to the tall grass</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjApPLq-wKnMi0UaPCCo2gbGqAK6wNch5dZ3t7DId9HFRjyIxleuB03_3dCRE737ZWMJHZcsVh4dgnIzBxa0NDFN2cFPgV9EkeNg1ThXFhZ5wwKoGzcoJeCbvSfwr1mEihX_UC9OqJdjb8/s1600/IMG_1755%255B1%255D.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjApPLq-wKnMi0UaPCCo2gbGqAK6wNch5dZ3t7DId9HFRjyIxleuB03_3dCRE737ZWMJHZcsVh4dgnIzBxa0NDFN2cFPgV9EkeNg1ThXFhZ5wwKoGzcoJeCbvSfwr1mEihX_UC9OqJdjb8/s320/IMG_1755%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"> <i>See? I told you it was 2.5 miles!</i></span>
</div>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"> While
there are no scenic vistas of water, there is a charm to the rolling
prairie and occasional grouping of trees. There is only the sound of
birds, insects, and the wind through the trees, until you get within a few hundred feet of U.S. Highway 14. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">It
brought back the pleasant memories of traipsing through a similar
landscape, looking for baby deer.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"> The
Table Segment is 2.5 miles one-way, so I walked five miles in about
two hours. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">There is no loop;
you reach the end (or any stopping point), and turn around. The trail
is only one “lane” wide. If you are by yourself, then step aside
to let all larger parties through.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-style: normal;">Overall, a good experience. Reading about Wisconsin history and geography, and experiencing its ecology and geography is fun.</span></div>
Christopher Loydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12406224790720542509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765278438126144609.post-60681640179776544402017-05-28T19:19:00.000-07:002017-05-28T19:19:31.426-07:00Move: To Madison, WI (Day 50)This blog entry is two days late due to ongoing moving obligations.<br />
<br />
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The most significant
moving-related accomplishments in the past month have been the
following:</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
1) Getting a
Wisconsin driver’s license</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
2) Registering to
vote in Dane County</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
3) Acquiring auto and
rental insurance</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
4) Getting Wisconsin
license plates for the car</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Of the four, number
1 was the most convoluted, 2 was the easiest, 3 took up the most
amount of time, and 4 was surprisingly easy. What made number 1
relatively complex was the required documentation. Essentially, if
you’re moving to Wisconsin, and you need a driver’s license (in
2017), then you need to have at least the following:</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
1) Driver’s
license from current (old) state</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
2) Birth certificate
OR passport </div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
3) Proof of local
residency (lease contract, name and address page from your house
title paperwork, etc.)</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In situations (other
than border crossings) requiring either the birth certificate or the
passport, I usually bring both, as well as the Social Security card.
It never hurts to bring all of them, and it sometimes helps. After
you fill out the form(s) and get your picture taken, the clerk will
scan the relevant proof-of-citizenship and -residency documents into
the computer system. The clerk will then void your current (old)
license, and issue a paper copy of your new permanent one. The
permanent one will arrive in the mail in about a week.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
With the new
permanent driver’s license (the one that came in the mail) in hand,
one is able to register <a href="https://www.countyofdane.com/election/register.aspx">online to vote</a>. It only takes a few
minutes.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Getting quotes for
auto and renter’s insurance is always time-consuming. If you
haven’t been through that process, what you do is look up a bunch
of local insurance agents and brokers. Start making phone calls. You
will answer many questions, having to tell the agent/broker/clerk
that you don’t know the answer to at least some of the questions.
You’ll write down the combinations of deductibles, coverage
amounts, multi-policy discounts, and so forth. You’ll mull over the
options. You’ll wait to hear back from agents that never call back.
You’ll wonder if having one insurance company cover both the
apartment and the car is worth paying an extra $20 or so per year.
The alternative might be going with the cheapest auto and renter
insurance quotes, but at respectively different companies. I cannot
tell you what to do in this situation. Everyone will have different
experiences, and likely go with different companies or plans.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
What is remarkable
is that most quotes for car insurance in Madison are less than half
of what I paid in Houston.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Getting the license
plates requires proof of residency (your driver’s license) and the
title or registration paperwork for your car. The clerk didn’t ask
for proof of insurance. Since my car still has a lien on it, all I
had was the registration renewal paper that you get in the mail in
Texas. The paper has the car’s VIN, weight, my name, and my old
address, among other information. You fill out a short form, and hand
that form and the registration renewal paper to the clerk. You never
see your old state’s registration paper again. The clerk returns
with the Wisconsin equivalent of the registration paper, and your new
license plates. You pay a total amount of fees well over $100, and
walk out with your new plates. I managed to receive one of the
remaining six-digit Wisconsin plates. My car is now registered in
America’s Dairyland. Yeehaw.</div>
Christopher Loydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12406224790720542509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765278438126144609.post-69337800518746302912017-05-23T17:59:00.000-07:002017-05-23T17:59:03.476-07:00Volunteer: for your state's DNR
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Whichever state you
live in, there is likely a Department of Natural Resources that could
use your assistance in helping scientists and technicians monitor and
understand the environment. If you would like to be (or are) a
“citizen scientist,” and like the great outdoors, then definitely
look up opportunities. I have already walked around <a href="http://chris-loyd.blogspot.com/2017/05/visit-devils-lake-state-park-in.html">Devil’s Lake State Park</a>, and was looking for way to get more involved with the
Wisconsin State Park system or <a href="http://dnr.wi.gov/">the Wisconsin DNR</a> in general.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
On one rainy
Saturday, I volunteered for the Wisconsin DNR in their effort to
monitor <a href="http://cwd-info.org/cwd-overview/">Chronic Wasting Disease in deer</a>. The name
of their project is <a href="http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/research/projects/dpp/">The Southwest Wisconsin CWD, Deer and Predator Study</a>. You sign up online or by calling them. Contact details
are in the link.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are two
shifts: morning and evening. I volunteered for both, deciding that if
I was going to drive 45 minutes or so from the apartment to
Dodgeville, I should stay for the whole day. One of the goals of this
move is to do things I’ve not done before, with only a minimum of
preparation. This is the second new thing; the first is <a href="https://www.meetup.com/sheephead/">playing Sheepshead</a>.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Volunteering for the
CWD, Deer, and Predatory Study is hands-on ecological work. It looks
something you might have seen on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7S537b7saE"><i>3-2-1 </i><i>Contact</i></a><span style="font-style: normal;">. With hiking boots,
rain jacket, </span><span style="font-style: normal;">black nitrile
gloves,</span><span style="font-style: normal;"> and
not-a-paid-employee-of-DNR orange vest, one walks with the crew in
lines, either straight ahead or in a large spiral. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">Trees,
slippery rocks, creeks, and nettle bushes make this tricky. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">This
goes for an hour or so. I</span><span style="font-style: normal;">f
you’re lucky, you’ll find a fawn.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">M</span><span style="font-style: normal;">ost
of the time, the fawn will lay still even as the DNR staffer lays
their hands on it. The first step is to blindfold the fawn. For
reasons that I don’t understand, blindfolding deer calms them down
a great deal. After they calm </span><span style="font-style: normal;">down</span><span style="font-style: normal;">,
you and the staffer determine its weight, sex, age, put a GPS collar
on its neck, and attach ID tags on its ears. </span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Perhaps
the most dramatic aspect is attaching the ID tags. Punching a hole in
an ear seems painful. But, the staffer is careful to avoid the major
blood vessels. The fawn appears to not notice. In the two fawns that
I held in position, the animal seemed calm. It was as if it were
asleep. I focused on </span><span style="font-style: normal;">its
breathing and pulse. Knowing nothing about deer physiology or
psychology, the breathing and heart rate seemed steady.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Most
of the time, you’re riding around the Wisconsin countryside in a
van or truck with wildlife technologists and biologists. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">T</span><span style="font-style: normal;">he
hills, prairie, and farms seem exotic to this guy from Texas. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">Even
in the rain.</span><span style="font-style: normal;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal;">Walking
for hours in such terrain (along with the aforementioned slippery
rocks and creeks) provide</span><span style="font-style: normal;">s</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
a great workout. Especially for whichever muscles control the lifting
of your leg, and positioning of your foot. I apparently spent a lot
of time trying to figure out which rock was the least slippery.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">If
you are a former Boy Scout, this activity might bring back memories
of hiking on ambiguous trails through an endless countryside.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">The
staff at the DNR is great. They are funny, and passionate about the
work they do. Hiking with them, and riding around in trucks and vans,
was an honor and a privilege. I look forward to volunteering with the
DNR again.</span></div>
Christopher Loydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12406224790720542509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765278438126144609.post-82173463644906979852017-05-13T18:13:00.000-07:002017-05-13T18:13:23.803-07:00Go: to the (Mini) Maker Faire
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl-IgZkfG4PrA36MrG1HnpjTJ3f6o2E3JCTSaewsRR2srl2fIB56szCiF9dJ7uNAAiNjMnQdmRnDdSFNO3IgRsL_IiDank2dY2c9Z94G2FarK9N8d8qGJMuWrurEyB8KeJPBEcrGKOQJs/s1600/IMG_1677%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl-IgZkfG4PrA36MrG1HnpjTJ3f6o2E3JCTSaewsRR2srl2fIB56szCiF9dJ7uNAAiNjMnQdmRnDdSFNO3IgRsL_IiDank2dY2c9Z94G2FarK9N8d8qGJMuWrurEyB8KeJPBEcrGKOQJs/s320/IMG_1677%255B1%255D.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<i>Forward! To Mini
Maker Faire!</i></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiKKq254zYnYkD6HihVH8YB-RRIZ5I5KkkLrpYzwwTKI73e3uGff-gP1QCSfYErFjoExH48fw9iwIFbczrut6KK8q_kD6xT-15WUHkdNTvDDi75aSlvInD-5a8gvw7NCOC-oQq3YekxMc/s1600/IMG_1675%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiKKq254zYnYkD6HihVH8YB-RRIZ5I5KkkLrpYzwwTKI73e3uGff-gP1QCSfYErFjoExH48fw9iwIFbczrut6KK8q_kD6xT-15WUHkdNTvDDi75aSlvInD-5a8gvw7NCOC-oQq3YekxMc/s320/IMG_1675%255B1%255D.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<i>What? I can’t
see or hear you</i><span style="font-style: normal;">.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As member of <a href="http://www.sector67.org/blog/">Sector 67</a>, I volunteered at the <a href="http://madison.makerfaire.com/">Madison Mini Maker Faire</a>. It
was a lot fun to help the group set up their stuff, and help several
dozen people make <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/nation-now/2017/04/21/fidget-spinner-what-is-it/100737096/">simple fidget spinners</a>. I even managed to park for
free, relatively close to Monona Center.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxQIRyrI1_r9O0Kpz0dwMxQWTn0AfR83lnXN4oK8TqoeKUKoDZcPKJr4oHFokM5mELTiC6mnraHuII13yKY8sPyDCfDEA4Z-u4qeESQVqDQiS9dVgqesDrgmOfQGdMYT5OTTzDWP-YkTU/s1600/IMG_1668%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxQIRyrI1_r9O0Kpz0dwMxQWTn0AfR83lnXN4oK8TqoeKUKoDZcPKJr4oHFokM5mELTiC6mnraHuII13yKY8sPyDCfDEA4Z-u4qeESQVqDQiS9dVgqesDrgmOfQGdMYT5OTTzDWP-YkTU/s320/IMG_1668%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<i>To get free parking, find a spot near the event area really early.</i> </div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you have never
been to a (Mini) Maker Faire, it is a nerdy gathering of
do-it-yourself technologists. It is the electronic or mechanical (or
both) extension of crafting, taking to elaborate and sometimes
expensive extremes. If you volunteer as part of an organization, you
usually get in for free. However, even in relatively small cities
like Madison, parking at the event is almost never for free.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
After about three
hours of standing outside, helping families make their spinners, I
ate lunch at Merchant Madison on Pinckney Street. For $10, you get a
Mexican Pozole. It tasted good, especially after adding jalapenos,
onions, cabbage, and tortilla strips.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc2we8m8XRtOSKo9B99Knui380-mk7dkxds0GXqi72qfIeEr-X0sCQMulp__6Cwzh4no09jn8ffjTH3hJqvpWWYVoa3zFvZJJjJR7PGaWdz6crvQgwP09N2LmfjsqEiSLDPq5cq1Q_jNs/s1600/IMG_1670%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc2we8m8XRtOSKo9B99Knui380-mk7dkxds0GXqi72qfIeEr-X0sCQMulp__6Cwzh4no09jn8ffjTH3hJqvpWWYVoa3zFvZJJjJR7PGaWdz6crvQgwP09N2LmfjsqEiSLDPq5cq1Q_jNs/s320/IMG_1670%255B1%255D.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<i>It’s
recommended.</i></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Overall,
a great day. While my Fedora was effective in shading most of my head
from the sun, it was not so effective on my neck. The solution is a
hat that has a flap on the back to shade the neck. Also, work gloves.
Not only would this have made more comfortable the handling of the
hot metal of the fresh, in-progress spinners, it would have shaded my
hands from the sun.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2CiYF_nsqRbkeEtkbqm7c0sAbH45uMhpNJHsruUJrtrUV1NNWlEMJxSMKwsd4uTrSnYsv40dXzFEoqNUqYsKn1i33qb9eo4GGRBEX9H82jAEUAe279QqpLtExabxQzrwpzD8F98aKLIw/s1600/IMG_1669%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2CiYF_nsqRbkeEtkbqm7c0sAbH45uMhpNJHsruUJrtrUV1NNWlEMJxSMKwsd4uTrSnYsv40dXzFEoqNUqYsKn1i33qb9eo4GGRBEX9H82jAEUAe279QqpLtExabxQzrwpzD8F98aKLIw/s320/IMG_1669%255B1%255D.JPG" width="240" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>Meanwhile, inside Monona Center, members of Sector 67 sold stuff.</i> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Despite
the hot sun, and the hot metal, we still had fun.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgNk51mBclqkNEfopq3Dy0a3zeJSNeu5JfL42C-m3ZNhKtct9aVkJe__3yUnpS9SxYKuFFdfnY4Cu6dvpHxQz_NKpTzzvIbXyro49xjOvWTvKcru1gpYb8QN9iNda40eB_oP7RC4MFnhw/s1600/IMG_1680%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgNk51mBclqkNEfopq3Dy0a3zeJSNeu5JfL42C-m3ZNhKtct9aVkJe__3yUnpS9SxYKuFFdfnY4Cu6dvpHxQz_NKpTzzvIbXyro49xjOvWTvKcru1gpYb8QN9iNda40eB_oP7RC4MFnhw/s320/IMG_1680%255B1%255D.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<i>Our fearless
leader, riding his Penny Farthing bicycle.</i></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
Christopher Loydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12406224790720542509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765278438126144609.post-31765555646234986442017-05-07T14:57:00.000-07:002017-05-07T14:57:55.206-07:00Visit: Devil's Lake State Park, in Wisconsin<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As time goes by in
the new town, the novelty of the move wears off. The necessary
changes become further apart in time. Blog posts such as today's are
intended to keep family and friends knowledgeable of events not
otherwise specific to moving. Now, without further delay:</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
About an hour
northwest of Madison is <a href="http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/parks/name/devilslake/">Devil’s Lake State Park</a>. To get there, get
on Beltline headed towards Middleton, and stay on it. The freeway
ends, but U.S. Highway 12 continues towards Sauk City. You drive
through pristine farm land and hills. After crossing the bridge over
the Wisconsin River, you drive through Sauk City, and past it. The
Highway widens and narrows as U.S. Highways do.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
About four miles
north a significant S-curve on Highway 12, turn right on Ski Hi Road
to get to the Visitor Center South Shore. The road will end at a
T-intersection. Turn right to continue to the South Shore. Turn left
to go to the North Shore.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Headed towards the
South Shore, you’ll drive on a narrow, twisty road, then pass a
boat dock, and eventually towards the Visitor Center. You’ll have
to <a href="http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/parks/admission.html">pay for admission</a>, and the price depends on whether you have
Wisconsin plates, and whether you want a one-day pass, or an
annual. A one-day pass for this Texan’s vehicle cost $11.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
After parking, you
can walk towards the lake, and around the pavilions. Eventually,
you’ll see maps or signs for various trails. Ideally, you’ve seen
<a href="http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/parks/name/devilslake/pdfs/dlparkmap04.pdf">the map beforehand</a>.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I walked three
trails: the Grottos, the CCC, and the Potholes Trails. Walking those
trails, I unintentionally managed to avoid six major geological
attractions as indicated on the map. Despite that error, the views
were wonderful.<br />
<br />
Click on any to enlarge: <br />
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>If you can make out the hat near the center, it gives the picture a sense of scale</i> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-3F5ZlaY2lMmvCYnYYsHLgLZ_mKhrVbU7G4oJWHC_ocxiCcIIPCRw6W1i2SgIxATYTh1eCO4UrlbQObU5BsePycHp0oMwU92lIoUSH0JOqS6_sh9ugqa1HSB1LgtH3xeEcmvGgXzMwHs/s1600/IMG_1663%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-3F5ZlaY2lMmvCYnYYsHLgLZ_mKhrVbU7G4oJWHC_ocxiCcIIPCRw6W1i2SgIxATYTh1eCO4UrlbQObU5BsePycHp0oMwU92lIoUSH0JOqS6_sh9ugqa1HSB1LgtH3xeEcmvGgXzMwHs/s320/IMG_1663%255B1%255D.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-FCuX-X7kjtQqrGZICsR90VxU0cwuWjZhAXGtjpPQg0Fz63jtXbDrmNXm6yZop8kXHz3U_8G9MyDyXvLK-Gs8SUIqX-ln-AcgCrWmiZilsuHsx5863k-cxzgGvbYk2eaEPiUscZ5OKfY/s1600/IMG_1654%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-FCuX-X7kjtQqrGZICsR90VxU0cwuWjZhAXGtjpPQg0Fz63jtXbDrmNXm6yZop8kXHz3U_8G9MyDyXvLK-Gs8SUIqX-ln-AcgCrWmiZilsuHsx5863k-cxzgGvbYk2eaEPiUscZ5OKfY/s320/IMG_1654%255B1%255D.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGT0aq2Ei7pwMeUzV8kEyazsvzqzcD38dipJ3jYCUXg2W2k2kJk-l2n4-UX_Z0r5gZcCFMAYMfBoNLlpJSqONMwteCoEnmWZ2UPfzZxtbCFxp1VoSz19jaaHaswSwfaV3LUKhGD0eE7bw/s1600/IMG_1652%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="69" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGT0aq2Ei7pwMeUzV8kEyazsvzqzcD38dipJ3jYCUXg2W2k2kJk-l2n4-UX_Z0r5gZcCFMAYMfBoNLlpJSqONMwteCoEnmWZ2UPfzZxtbCFxp1VoSz19jaaHaswSwfaV3LUKhGD0eE7bw/s320/IMG_1652%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
No hiking shoes were
necessary, but may have come in handy on slippery rocks. I wore a
broad-rimmed hat, and a long-sleeve shirt. If the temperature was
above 60 degrees, I would have considered wearing a short-sleeve
shirt and sunblock, or hiking earlier in the morning, or later in the
afternoon.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The crowds were
civil, even polite. Lots of incidental campers. One group was
rappelling off one of the rock faces. Temps were in the 50s, and the
sky was clear. A perfect day for a hike.</div>
Christopher Loydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12406224790720542509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765278438126144609.post-20268085136590990342017-04-26T19:38:00.000-07:002017-04-26T19:38:12.088-07:00Move: to Madison, WI (Day 20)<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
After 20 days,
you’ve settled into a routine. Ideally, you have a very good idea
of how to do your job. Also, you may have paid (off) the credit card
bill(s) from your move.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
But, your furniture
is still at your old place, or in storage, and you’re still in the sublet. On the
other hand, after 20 days, you may not miss your stuff. For now.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Indeed, the only
thing (not person) that I miss is my garden, and compost bin.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiap21nyvuLbfGKId3QVrrh4ugxG3Muf20gcvTT_QuIG8pdve88T_6hHHkkXQqlqiskSKCncUblfWikRQiXh-uEAeMfV_rxMBbpRQuEWaOsYGWyl25uuO_v5xkpqwOqXG0Hy4X0D5BYDW4/s1600/IMG_1613%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiap21nyvuLbfGKId3QVrrh4ugxG3Muf20gcvTT_QuIG8pdve88T_6hHHkkXQqlqiskSKCncUblfWikRQiXh-uEAeMfV_rxMBbpRQuEWaOsYGWyl25uuO_v5xkpqwOqXG0Hy4X0D5BYDW4/s320/IMG_1613%255B1%255D.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
O 'Yukon Gold' potato cultivar, you will be missed</div>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
While having a
container garden on a balcony is feasible, composting in an apartment
setting is not. In Houston, I had to keep a bale of hay in the garage, so that
there was some anti-smell components to add to the compost when the
need arose. With a balcony, a composting system (bin plus hay plus
room to maneuver) may take anywhere from one-third to two-thirds of
your balcony or patio.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As the <a href="https://www.wired.com/2010/05/ff_domestic_terraforming/"><i>Wired</i></a><span style="font-style: normal;"><a href="https://www.wired.com/2010/05/ff_domestic_terraforming/"> guide suggests</a>, you’ll be buying dirt every season. The economics
of apartment gardening lean heavily towards that of a money-sinking hobby,
versus a money-saving task.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">In more prosaic news, yesterday
I check</span><span style="font-style: normal;">ed</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
the PO box, and there was mail! It’s taken more than two weeks, but
Houston mail is making its way to Madison. Mail is also starting to
arrive in the sublet mail box. Mostly fliers, but some
sublet-specific stuff.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">In
other relocation news, </span><span style="font-style: normal;">I’ve
visited several neighborhoods, and compared them to the neighborhood
where the sublet is. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">W</span><span style="font-style: normal;">hile
some neighborhoods have more people outside, walking their dogs,
etc., they’re further from the office than the sublet is. Some
neighborhoods have no highway or airplane noise whatsoever, but
they’re much, much further from the office. Some neighborhoods have
high-quality housing, but the neighborhood itself is monolithic and
dull. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">O</span><span style="font-style: normal;">ne
gets the feeling that it may be a ghetto in about ten or 20 years.
</span><span style="font-style: normal;">Some neighborhoods have a
decent-sized grocery store (something bigger than an Aldi) within
five minutes' walking distance. But, you clearly hear the major road that is
adjacent to the grocery store.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Overall,
</span><span style="font-style: normal;">no neighborhood stands out as
being really better in more than one way than </span><span style="font-style: normal;">the
one </span><span style="font-style: normal;">I’m currently living</span><span style="font-style: normal;">.
The sublet is close to work, </span><span style="font-style: normal;">and
in a </span><span style="font-style: normal;">reasonably active, but quiet neighborhood.
The build quality of the sublet is pretty good as far as apartments
go. There are worse houses out there. But, the neighborhood is kind
of pricey, and far from major grocery stores.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Right
now, I’m unwilling to pay more than the mortgage payment
equivalent-of-rent to live further away from the office. Only one
neighborhood seems worth it, and it is the one within five minutes of </span><span style="font-style: normal;">a</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
grocery store. It also has some the cheapest real estate in the area.
I have yet to see the inside of house that is for sale </span><span style="font-style: normal;">there</span><span style="font-style: normal;">,
so build quality is not yet fully known. </span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">In
other words, I may just stay in the sublet. Yeah, </span><span style="font-style: normal;">that
means m</span><span style="font-style: normal;">issing out on not
owning real estate in Madison. But, I already own real estate in
Houston. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">That house is being
rented out.</span><span style="font-style: normal;"> Selling the house
there, to buy a house up here, is not an obvious good decision. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">A</span><span style="font-style: normal;">t
least, on a five-year planning scale.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">In
community events news, I’ve gone to a total of three library
events: the John Scalzi reading, a performance by <a href="http://www.forwardtheater.com/">Forward Theater</a>,
and a discussion lead by Dan Egan on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Death-Life-Great-Lakes/dp/0393246434">his new book</a>. </span><span style="font-style: normal;">Forward
Theater was salaciously funny. Egan’s talk gave some ideas that
could be useful for my ecology hobby. However, it has become clear
that I should go to community events that take place somewhere other
than a library. This is not to avoid burn-out, but to avoid <a href="http://tylercowen.com/complacent-class-quiz/">becoming accidentally complacent</a> or dependent on library events.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxCk1kijsUta3fOpRgGHUKDn1BGWsD3drfBEdTXBbe38yBH8GTOpWN1dlznUlH_zWOgAi-qsgDdVzXGxgINrJYJbk0P8iz8SyHtzJDDYr50Ds6opZu0n4gR4U5oInYgquXPZasVmxhFYE/s1600/IMG_1630%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxCk1kijsUta3fOpRgGHUKDn1BGWsD3drfBEdTXBbe38yBH8GTOpWN1dlznUlH_zWOgAi-qsgDdVzXGxgINrJYJbk0P8iz8SyHtzJDDYr50Ds6opZu0n4gR4U5oInYgquXPZasVmxhFYE/s320/IMG_1630%255B1%255D.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
But, the Middleton Library has indoor agriculture (sort-of), too!</div>
<span style="font-style: normal;"> </span>
</div>
Christopher Loydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12406224790720542509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765278438126144609.post-58559982203453209082017-04-16T21:02:00.000-07:002017-04-16T21:02:39.010-07:00Move: To Madison, WI (Day 10)<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Settled into the
sublet today. After 10 days of AirBnB, it’s nice to have one’s
own kitchen and bathroom. It’s not-so-nice to sleep on the floor.
We’ll see how my back feels, and determine from there whether an
air mattress is necessary.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you’ve never
moved into your own apartment or house before, be prepared to buy at least the
following things:</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Shower curtain +
rings</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Soap</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Toilet paper</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Bathmat</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Floor lamps + light
bulbs</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The sublet doesn’t
have ceiling-mounted lights, making floor lamps a necessity.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Since this sublet
has coin-operated laundry, I need to stop by a
bank or credit union, and exchange bills for quarters. May also buy a
sturdier laundry basket.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you’ve lived
your entire life near I-10, note that places north may not have
central air conditioning. Especially where the winters are more
brutal than the summers. In the case of the sublet, there is a
wall-mounted unit in the living room, but not in the bedroom.
Fortunately, summer nights in Madison seem to have lows in the 60s.
Compare that to lows as high as 78 or 79 degrees in Houston. How
humid Madison feels compared to Houston remains thus far not-yet-experienced.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
On Friday, I went on
a tour of <a href="http://www.sector67.org/blog/">Sector 67</a>. Sector 67 is one the local maker-spaces in
Madison. If you’re in town, you should definitely check them out.
The size of their facility, and the amount and variety of their
machinery, would compete very well in the Houston area.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3F_meJlsEuegCcZlz9Po_fm3alHhjdJvcGXLqX8dsnLNM_XfB45P0k_8gciZPidSLUKjp_7Um1ABiZWnV7m1JlunW1ucMZ977ATLVPCyD9YORpwSBf_6tWcNf8S194NVRMG3t_WO_zBo/s1600/IMG_1627%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="72" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3F_meJlsEuegCcZlz9Po_fm3alHhjdJvcGXLqX8dsnLNM_XfB45P0k_8gciZPidSLUKjp_7Um1ABiZWnV7m1JlunW1ucMZ977ATLVPCyD9YORpwSBf_6tWcNf8S194NVRMG3t_WO_zBo/s320/IMG_1627%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
This is just the lobby. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Click to see a larger version of the photo.</div>
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
On Saturday, I
attended a show by the <a href="https://monkeybusinessinstitute.com/">Monkey Business Institute</a>, at the east Madison location of the <a href="http://glassnickelpizza.com/madison-east/">Glass Nickel Pizza</a> company. MBI is an improv-comedy troupe, which may or may not
be your cup of tea. MBI offers three levels of shows. I saw the
Adult show, versus All-Ages or one of Imprompt2, the Merge, and so
forth (they rotate which will be the third offering).</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I laughed, sometimes
hard, which is all you need to know about how funny they are.<br />
<br />
Parking was free at both Sector 67 and Glass Nickel Pizza.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
On Sunday, Aldi and
Target reminded would-be shoppers that it was Easter, and that people
looking for food or general merchandise had better go to Pick ‘n
Save and Wal-Mart, respectively. Good thing those last two were open;
I might have had to find a church at which to confess the sin of
trying to buy food and a shower curtain on Easter.<br />
<br />
As for other community events, there are at least two places in Madison offering Krav Maga lessons:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://ukmwisconsin.com/">Urban Krav Maga Madison</a><br />
<a href="http://fightprimetc.com/">FightPrime Training Center</a><br />
<br />
There are also two local community theaters:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://madisontheatreguild.org/">Madison Theatre Guild</a><br />
<a href="http://www.vact.org/">Verona Area Community Theatre </a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Now, for real estate
analysis and empirical research:</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Before buying a
house, it may be a good idea to drive to the neighborhood where the
house is located, and answer the following questions:</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
1) Do you feel safe
parking your car here, and walking away?</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
2) Do you feel safe
walking around the neighborhood?</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
3) What do you hear
or see that you like or don’t like?</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Remember that you’re
not buying just a house, but also a neighborhood.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I’ve walked around
two neighborhoods so far, and found that each has their pros and
cons. The first is closer to work than the second. The first also has
a townhouse that the realtor showed me, and the townhouse looked very
nice.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
However, the first
neighborhood felt sterile. If you’ve read Jane Jacobs, then you
will know what I mean when I write that this neighborhood may suffer
the suburban version of the “great blight of dullness.” This,
despite the neighborhood having a diversity in residential building
types: single-family houses, townhouses, and apartments. However, the
buildings have not aged enough to show whether they will age well or
not. This is despite the fact that the townhouse that the realtor
showed me was built in the 1980s. It appears to be the newest
building in the immediate vicinity.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The second
neighborhood is more established, with more people outside. The
housing is either single-family or duplexes, and there is an
elementary school within the neighborhood. It’s not all
residential. The only problem that I experienced right in the
neighborhood was traffic noise. A nearby US Highway is indeed very close. You
could see and hear cars and trucks whizzing by. Once I heard a
motorcycle engine rev, I knew this neighborhood wasn’t going to
work out. Were it not for the noise, this second neighborhood would
be worth the commute.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Overall, neither
neighborhood is significantly better than the one in which the sublet is located. As I type, the window is open, and all I can hear is the
drone of a distant air conditioner, if that is what it is. As far as noise goes, it’s
steady and subtle. Only one airplane has passed over this neighborhood, since I opened the windows this afternoon.</div>
Christopher Loydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12406224790720542509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765278438126144609.post-16245052970058332222017-04-11T21:50:00.000-07:002017-04-11T21:50:07.558-07:00Move: To Madison, WI (Day 5)
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The biggest news is
that an apartment management company approved my lease application.
The next step is to sign some paperwork, pay the deposit, and get the
keys. The scheduling of those steps is tricky. Their office has
business hours, and I work during those business hours. We’ll get
there eventually.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I have completed two
days of work at the new job. Everything is going well. Not sure yet
when I’ll have time to return to Houston to move my furniture,
but...we’ll get there eventually.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Checked the PO Box.
Got some junk mail. Nothing personal yet.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Ate dinner at Saigon
Noodle on Odana Road. It’s recommended. While the Chicken Soup was
very good, the hot tea was excellent. The sense of fullness from the
soup and the tea really took off after about five minutes had passed
after eating. The sense of fullness reached its peak about fifteen
minutes later at the Aldi. Bought some frozen dinners and lunches for
the week ahead. The credit card bills look huge.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
When it comes to
thinking about Madison, there’s many comparisons that appear
attractive to make, but also do not feel fair to make as of right
now. While comparing Madison to Houston seems obvious and inevitable,
it’s also unfair. The size difference alone drives many other
noticeable patterns and trends.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If size was the
primary controlling factor, then the only towns I could personally
compare Madison to are Huntsville, Alabama, and Beaumont, Texas.
While these three towns are not exactly the same size, there are in
the same rough order magnitude (city-only non-metro populations
between 100,000 and 600,000). Houston might be better compared to
Chicago, but I’ve not yet been to Chicago.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
So, how does Madison
compare to Huntsville and Beaumont? For starters, it’s a northern
city, while Huntsville and Beaumont are southern. There’s no
ambiguity there. Madison and Huntsville have economies largely driven
by government, education, or the military. Beaumont’s economy is
largely oil and gas, though there’s a university in Beaumont as
well.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Really, though,
comparing Beaumont and Huntsville to each other is more interesting
than either to Madison. While both Beaumont and Huntsville are
southern, they represent different aspects of the South. Beaumont is
Deep South, or Gulf Coast South, or Cajun, or something like that.
Huntsville is the Tennessee Valley, or southern Appalachia, or the
foot hills of Appalachia, or something like that. Beaumont gets
hurricanes. Huntsville gets blizzards and tornadoes. Beaumont is like
a mini-Houston, with few-if-any of Houston’s good features.
Huntsville does not appear to be a mini-version of anything else
near by. Birmingham and Chattanooga seem sufficiently different from
Huntsville, and sufficiently similar in size.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Given a choice, I
would rather live in Huntsville than Beaumont. Huntsville has the
more beautiful countryside and cleaner air. But, if Beaumont has got
you down, you can always drive to Houston, which is an
hour-and-a-half away-ish. The nearest cities to Huntsville are about
two hours away. Even then, the really big city that is nearest to
Huntsville is Atlanta, which is about 6-or-so hours away, via
mountain roads. Beaumont connects to Houston via I-10, which really
has only one significant curve, near Winnie.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
So, what about
Madison? Even though I enjoy the short commutes, the light traffic,
the very-good-to-excellent dining options, and the urban and suburban
areas, nothing really stands out that says, “Ah! This is Madison!”</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
For people who live
in or know much about Houston, imagine a city consisting only of the
Clear Lake neighborhoods of Houston, plus Webster and League City.
Surround it by several dozen miles of countryside. It’s just Clear
Lake-Webster-League City. Interstate 45 largely bypasses it, yet both
Webster and League City technically straddle I-45. The town hall and
city government in League City is bigger, if it had to represent
Clear Lake and Webster. The University of Houston – Clear Lake
campus might be larger, as there is no longer a much larger U of H main campus
25 miles up the freeway. The hospitals might be larger, and more
numerous, as there is no Texas Medical Center 28ish miles up the
freeway. Johnson Space Center remains in place, at its current size.
Ellington Field becomes a full-fledged airport, but still smaller
than Hobby Airport,12 miles up the road currently. You get the idea.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
What town in Texas
is actually like this, today? Brian-College Station? A bit small. Its
metro population is the same as Madison’s city population. Among
Texas cities that aren’t part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex,
the ones closest in size to Madison are Laredo and Lubbock. I don’t
recall ever visiting Laredo, and I’ve only ever driven through
Lubbock. Reading through Wikipedia, Laredo appears known for being
almost entirely Hispanic, and having its economy largely based on
trade with Mexico. Lubbock is a “hub city,” being a center of
trade and services in an otherwise empty part of the country. Just
like all the other western cities: Amarillo, Denver…</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
So, there you have
it. Madison eludes comparison because there is nothing currently in
Texas like it enough to draw a comparison.</div>
Christopher Loydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12406224790720542509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765278438126144609.post-5531294579394474822017-04-08T20:07:00.000-07:002017-04-08T20:07:14.192-07:00Move: To Madison, WI (Day 2)<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
When it became clear
that I would have to drive to the sublet leasing office to drop off
the application form during business hours, looking up its exact
location became necessary. The relocation agent had driven her and
myself there yesterday. Upon determining its location, it was too
close to a freeway to be considered as even a short-term residence.
Re-evaluating all the options, I chose the sublet that was the
furthest from freeways and industrial areas. It also just so happened
that the chosen sublet was the closest to the new employer.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
To make matters
happier, the application process could be done entirely online.
Ba-da-bing, done! No word from them yet, but it is still the weekend.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In the meantime,
I’ve looked up community events and volunteer opportunities.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The two Madison-area
makerspaces (<a href="http://www.sector67.org/blog/faq/">Sector 67</a>, and <a href="http://wiki.thebodgery.org/doku.php?id=visit">The Bodgery</a>) have their open houses on certain days of the week;
otherwise, only members can access the spaces.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The <a href="http://www.madisonastro.org/news/news.html#meeting-2017-04-14">Madison Astronomical Society</a> has their next meeting on Friday April 14.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1414511">Corey Feldman’s Whad’ya Know</a> performance will be on Saturday April 29.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The <a href="http://isthmus.com/events/monkey-business-institute/">Monkey Business Institute</a> has weekly improv shows, every Saturday.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I called up a
contact for a <a href="http://dnr.wi.gov/education/outdoorskills/lth.html">Learn to Hunt</a> event, only to find out the that target
audience is for children. The good news is that the contact is
willing to take people out turkey hunting, provided that they get a
hunting license and camouflage.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I then called the
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), to ask about
<a href="http://dnr.wi.gov/GoWild/nonresident.html">non-resident</a> vs <a href="http://dnr.wi.gov/GoWild/resident.html">resident</a> license options. The short story is that one
needs a Wisconsin Voter ID or Driver’s License for at least 30 days
to qualify for residence license. The longer story is the licenses
are purchased yearly. So, if I want to hunt right away, I need to buy
the non-resident license for the year. The cost for a non-resident
turkey hunting license is at least $63, plus stamps. For resident,
the cost is $18 plus stamps.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I also e-mailed the
contact for <a href="http://dnr.wi.gov/education/outdoorSkills/documents/2016_Learn_to_Hunt%20Deer-Flyer%20Version.pdf">Hunting for Sustainability</a> program, to ask if the program
would be offered for 2017.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The Wisconsin State
Park System is <a href="http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/parks/volunteer.html">looking for volunteers</a>.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One of the
<a href="https://madisoncollege.edu/program/emt#panel2">prerequisites to enter the EMT program</a> at Madison Area Technical
College, is to have a CPR certification for professionals. I need to
call up the EMT program, to ask if one should put down their
program’s contact details on <a href="http://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/preview-kits/cpr-aed-professional#getstarted">the application form</a>, or their own
personal contact information.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I ate a late lunch
at <a href="http://www.montysblueplatediner.com/menus/">Monty’s Blue Plate Diner</a>. Had the Blue Plate Burger with French
Fries. The blue cheese and grilled onions on the burger were
succulent. Monty’s Blue Plate Diner is recommended.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Then, for fun, I
drove to the Post Office to check the mail. There was no mail.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Then, for necessity,
I drove to an Aldi, and bought bananas, party mix, beer, and a frozen
dinner. Total was about $15.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Oh, by the way, the
above driving was done without a GPS. One of reasons to drive to the
(west-side) Post Office was to figure out how to get there from
eastern Madison. Granted, I looked up where all this stuff was
online, and studied the maps carefully. Nonetheless, I had to
navigate by memory of places previously driven to, or of maps as seen
on a laptop.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
For tonight’s
entertainment, I drove downtown (still without the GPS) to see <a href="http://whatever.scalzi.com/">John Scalzi</a> speak at the
downtown library. It turns out that there was a
“special event” happening downtown, so the cost to park in a
garage was $8.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidAM5nZXGyAZ5o9vKK870_97Ped1ocYsVl_47rG28RHS1UhUmgxrvG_EOe3W4WFon8QK13ys0l5wZvhGch6lfaqYQgjWhiDG4FnoM88kMcjp_ygM-RX6pqeTByEqty7oTgOhzFli3svlA/s1600/IMG_1619%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidAM5nZXGyAZ5o9vKK870_97Ped1ocYsVl_47rG28RHS1UhUmgxrvG_EOe3W4WFon8QK13ys0l5wZvhGch6lfaqYQgjWhiDG4FnoM88kMcjp_ygM-RX6pqeTByEqty7oTgOhzFli3svlA/s320/IMG_1619%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>A Special Event: The Essence of Wisconsin</i> </div>
<br />
Usually, I drive in
ever-widening circles, in search of free parking. If none is to be
had within a mile or two, then I use mass transit. This tactic worked
reasonably well in Houston, especially since the light rail has
recently expanded. The oh-so-Progressive Madison does not have light
rail running down University Boulevard from the airport to downtown
to Middleton. For shame, Madison. For shame.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Anyway, I didn’t
search for free parking; my vehicle still has a lot of my belongings.
From that perspective, eight bucks didn’t buy so much a parking
space, but rather a lower probability of broken windows and missing
stuff.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Oh yeah, John Scalzi
was kind of funny. He’s a goofy nerd who kept bringing up how much
money he wanted for options for his intellectual property, and how
that options money is paying for college for his kid. He also read
excerpts of his material. If what he read is typical of his product,
I’m glad to have saved the time and money. Especially the money. I
just spent eight bucks on parking.</div>
Christopher Loydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12406224790720542509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765278438126144609.post-82111803160643061952017-04-07T19:02:00.000-07:002017-04-07T19:02:49.091-07:00Move: To Madison, WI (Day 1)
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Summary: Ate
breakfast, got a PO box, saw some houses and condos, then some
sublets, and ate dinner. Drove home from dinner without the help of
the GPS.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The long version: I
drove to
<a href="http://www.goodcrema.com/">Crema Cafe in Monona</a> for breakfast. The Lake Edge Eggs and Hash were
good, but not enough to justify the 20ish mile drive. That, and the
food took a while to arrive. Crema is only worth it for people who
live in or near Monona, and are eating with other people, or a
laptop.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
After that, I drove
to a Post Office branch, and paid for the smallest available PO Box.
The helpful clerk sold me on paying for 6 months, and getting a
partial refund if I cancel within the next 3 months. That way, I get a bit less
than 3 months of a PO Box, for far less than paying for 3 months
upfront. The man was by far the most helpful Post Office employee
I’ve ever encountered.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It also turns out
that you don’t have to reserve a box online. You can just show up,
wait in line, request a form, fill it out, get back in line, show it
and your two forms of government ID (one of which must have your photo),
pay for the box, receive your keys, test your keys, and leave with
your new temporary address. Reserving online, and printing the form
at home, seems to save only the second wait in line compared to just
showing up at the Post Office. It's good that the Post Office has the forms there. Sometimes your printer is over a 1000 miles away, and asking the AirBnB host to use their printer seems a bit inappropriate.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Met with the realtor,
and she showed me some houses and condos. The drive up to Mazomanie
was nice, but...one could feel the 25 minutes going by. It’s weird
how 25 minutes of countryside feels different than 25 minutes of
Interstate 45 in Houston.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Meanwhile, there are
some great townhouses well within my price range, right in Madison.
When you include the basements of these townhouses, or any house for
that matter, the total square footage rivals or exceeds that of
Houston houses. Combine that with the relatively low condo
maintenance fee, which also includes insurance, one can begin to see
the value of Midwestern real estate.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The realtor warned
that given my price range, I am looking at about 30- to 45-minute rush hour
commute, if I insist on having a single-family house. The questions are: what kind of a commute is most tolerable,
and what are you coming home to? She advised living in a sublet for a
few months, and getting a lay of the land.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Then, onto sublets.
The prices seem reasonable, given the size and quality of the
apartments, and their neighborhoods. What seemed weird was that there
were no change machines anywhere with coin-operated washers and
dryers. One has to “save your quarters,” or go to a bank. What?
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The year 1997
called. They said that they ran off with your change machine because
1977 stole theirs.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
But wait, there’s
more! The laundry rooms also have operating hours. There are
apartments above the laundry rooms, so the hours are posted to help
keep the noise down. Seriously? I’ve lived in two apartment
complexes in Houston. One had a 24-hour laundry room with a change
machine. The other had a washer and dryer in the unit. If you wanted
to start doing your laundry at 1:00 am Saturday morning, you went for
it. Not so in these sublets.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Two of the sublets
have in-unit washers and dryers. Not only that, one of them is
cheaper by the square foot than the cheapest sublet with
coin-operated washers and dryers. The ones with in-unit laundry also
have friendlier lease terms than the cheapest sublet. The choice is
becoming more obvious, but I’m going to sleep on it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
For dinner, I drove
back to Monona, to the
<a href="http://waypointonthewater.com/">Waypoint Public House</a>. Had a stout beer, and the tenderloin poutine.
Instead of gravy, the tenderloin was seared, sliced, and layered on
the cheese fries. Waypoint Public House is recommended.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I've now driven back to the AirBnB host's house enough times that I don't have to use the GPS to find the way back to their place. First the PO Box, now knowing the way back to a certain place. Eventually, I will earn the cheese hat.</div>
Christopher Loydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12406224790720542509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765278438126144609.post-12708837214781987652017-04-06T21:33:00.000-07:002017-04-07T18:11:57.171-07:00Move: To Madison, WI (Arrived)<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Currently in Madison.
There is something like a gentle culture shock, to go from Little
Rock to Madison. To put what one sees from Little Rock to Madison
into context requires asking questions and examining one’s
observations.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
To start, what are
the borders of the Southern United States? I don’t mean Texas and
Arkansas. I mean instead the ineffable essence that is the South. Its
attitude and its history. Its horrible problems, and its charm. Where
does it begin and end?</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In Texas, I have a
rough idea of its boundaries. Houston is a border town between the
South and the Spanish-speaking Southwest. On Interstate 10, the
Southwest peters out somewhere around Anahuac. Beaumont
is definitely the South. It has the racial dichotomy and all that
comes with it. Meanwhile, on I-10 again, the South peters out near Columbus. San Antonio is definitely Southwestern.
It has the Spanish history and linguistic pre-dominance.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
From Houston, headed
north on I-45, the Southwest ends somewhere around Huntsville. From there, it’s the South all the way up to Dallas. Fort
Worth is the West.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
On US Highway 59
from Houston, the Southwest ends somewhere around Splendora. From there, it’s the South all the way to
Little Rock and Memphis and then...that’s where I lose certainty.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
North of the
Arkansas side of Memphis, once you’re out of the Ozarks, is as flat
as you can imagine the Great Plains to be. But, this is the
Mississippi Delta region. Definitely the South. But, what about
southeastern Missouri? Headed north on I-55, references to crawfish
fade almost immediately. References to Southern Cooking fade
gradually.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
About halfway
between the Arkansas border and St. Louis, German place- and
business-names become more common. Highways in Arkansas are dedicated
to fallen policemen and soldiers with decidedly Anglo surnames. About
halfway to St. Louis, the surnames become Germanic.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Perhaps, it is the
halfway-point between St. Louis and the Arkansas border, where the
South fades, and the...Midwest?...Breadbasket?...region begins. Where
beer-brewing has a history and a gusto that just isn’t so in the
South.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
St. Louis itself
looks like it has a history of industry that no place in Texas has.
Smoke stacks are made of concrete or bricks, unlike the shiny
metallic ones in Houston or Pasadena, TX. By the way, the St. Louis
Arch, as viewed from the freeway, is worth it. It looks just like it
does in the pictures.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Going back to the
regionalism topic, what about the Rust Belt? It seems like something
that you would recognize immediately upon seeing it. Well, here’s
the thing. Individual cities and towns can be Industrial or Rust
Belt-y, but smaller towns and farmland usually aren’t. If the Rust
Belt has a theme, it is: Industrial Past, and Decline Ever Since. For
the Breadbasket: Farming Past, and the Factories Never Arrived. The Rust
Belt has experienced a slow-motion apocalyptic decline in population.
The Breadbasket has experienced an even slower-motion, far steadier
decline in population. Notwithstanding the university towns in both
regions.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
That said, I put St.
Louis in the Rust Belt. It has seen better days. For that matter,
everything from St. Louis to Rockford, Illinois, is Rust Belt. An
awful, but truthful way to know if a place is in the Rust Belt is
this: did the town or city experience white flight on an almost grand
scale? A more subtle question might be: did the town or city
experience its heyday in the 1920s?</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Madison, based on my
limited reading, does not have the history of Rust Belt cities like
its neighbor Milwaukee. It never experienced a decline in population,
least of all since the 1960s. It never industrialized in the way that
Milwaukee or Chicago did.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If Madison had its
heyday, it never ended.</div>
Christopher Loydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12406224790720542509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765278438126144609.post-52024326486086313172017-04-05T18:28:00.000-07:002017-04-05T18:28:32.493-07:00Move: To Madison, WI (1 Day Before Arrival)<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Tuesday was so busy
that it ran into Wednesday morning. Packing up kitchen gear,
clothing, and other necessities just seemed to take longer than
expected. This is a lesson to carry over for the furniture move.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
To get from Houston
to Little Rock, one takes US Highway 59 to Interstate-369 in
Texarkana, then I-30 to Little Rock. It’s about a 7-hour drive.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
East Texas from
Houston to Texarkana reminds one of Mississippi, only more
prosperous. It’s the trees. US-59 seems to turn and wander through
forests and towns, with enough stop lights and left turns to make one
appreciate freeways.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
About four hours
from Houston, in Jefferson, Texas, a cashier replied to a question
regarding if the store required customers to spend a minimum amount
of money in order to use a credit card. She replied, “We don’t
have limits on credit cards. We’re not foreigners. We’re
Americans!”</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Once in Arkansas, it
looked as if Arkansas is more country than Texas, in more ways that
one. For starters, there appeared to be more country music stations
per capita than in Texas. On US-59, one could easily pick up hip-hop
or Tejano. In Arkansas, it was easier to pick up country. I saw three
different people wearing a bandanna, camo, and overalls,
respectively. That’s three more than in East Texas.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Maybe it’s because
US-59 goes from town to town to town, but I-30 in Arkansas seems to
go through a somewhat more northern-forest version of Texas, with far
fewer towns.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
When it comes to
Little Rock, all I can confidently say is that if you’ve been in
Houston for over a year, you forget what driving on hills is like.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Here's my current advice
for people moving solo across the country for work. Realize that for
all the planning that you do, you will be in “react mode” for
much of the time. Talk with real
estate professionals as soon as possible, if you’re serious about
buying a house. Make hotel or
AirBNB reservations for at least the first week in the new town. Reserve a PO Box
online. If you’re not
moving everything at once, be sure to have all the
stuff you need for “camping out” in an empty apartment.<br />
<br />
That includes a sleeping bag (or several blankets), cooking
appliances (toaster, electric pressure cooker, etc.), and clothing that
is appropriate for at least the next six months, depending on the
climate.<br />
<br />
For your first day on the job, you'll need Government IDs (passport, SS card, birth certificate, etc.). You will also need to dress professionally. This is for
photos for your badge, the company’s directory, public relations,
etc. What
“professional” means varies among industries. Since you’ve
likely had an in-person interview, you have an idea of what people
wear in the office. Go for at least one “step” or “level”
beyond what you saw. For men at least, if you walk in wearing a coat
and tie, and see that the office is much more casual than you
remember, then you can easily remove the coat and tie.</div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Tomorrow’s drive
will bring experiences of Missouri, Illinois, and finally Wisconsin.
Except for Chicago-area airports, I’ve never been to Illinois. </div>
Christopher Loydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12406224790720542509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765278438126144609.post-29632589534933958662017-04-02T22:11:00.000-07:002017-04-02T22:11:28.745-07:00Move: To Madison, WI (4 Days Before Arrival)
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Since Tuesday, the
big themes of the move have been preparing the house to be rented
out, and having good-bye dinners with friends and family.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
On Wednesday, <a href="http://realremodeling.net/">a contractor</a> replaced a bathtub faucet. The replacement works well. On
Thursday, I visited the new location of <a href="http://www.creatorspace.org/">the CreatorSpace</a>. If you
haven’t been there yet, check them out!
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
On Friday, I
transferred money from one Credit Union to another via yet another
Credit Union. The first one had a Certificate of Deposit, which had
the money for the tuition pay-back to the employer. (They paid for me
to go back to grad school; now that I’m leaving, I owe them a pro
rata share of what they paid.) Anyway, the first CU does not have the
capability of transferring money seamlessly from itself to another
CU. To get the money from the first CU to the CU that has my checking
account, one has to use a third CU that has <a href="https://co-opcreditunions.org/locator/">Shared Branching</a>.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
On Saturday, Dad
came by for a visit. We had coffee at <a href="http://www.murderbychocolate.com/">Murder by Chocolate</a>, then he
helped me trim some trees in the back yard. Later, I made a pot roast
for him and some friends. We ran through <a href="http://www.pbs.org/newshour/making-sense/do-you-live-in-a-bubble-a-quiz-2/">the Bubble Quiz</a>. Dad “won”
with the highest score. The quiz is really good at sparking
conversations about society, culture, and politics.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
On Sunday, I bid
farewell to the Adult Discussion group at <a href="http://www.bauuc.org/">the Bay Area UnitarianUniversalist Church</a>. Then, I bought some supplies at Home Depot for doing
some more repairs. The day ended with dinner with some friends at <a href="http://bbbutchers.com/">B&B Butchers</a>. Highly recommend eating there, if you’re willing to spend
~$80 per person for appetizer, main course, side dish, and alcohol.
But, wow, the bacon, the beef, the mushrooms, the mojito…</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The evening ended
with drinks and tiramisu at a friend’s house. We discussed politics
well into the evening. I transferred the title of the VW Rabbit to
one of my friends. She drove herself another friend away. I shook
hands with the last friend, and bid each other farewell.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Monday will be my
last day of work. I will need to turn in all the company stuff, hand
over the employee badge, and sign my final time card. Afterwards, my
boss and coworkers will all converge at a local pub.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The following day,
Tuesday, will be the last full day in Houston. Final repairs will
need to be made. Final dinner with relatives. Packing up the Subaru
for the drive to Madison.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The plan for Friday
April 7 is shaping up. Will look at some houses and sublets with the
real estate agent. <a href="http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?x=159&y=146&site=mkx&zmx=&zmy=&map_x=159&map_y=146">The Madison weather forecast</a> is becoming more
relevant.</div>
Christopher Loydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12406224790720542509noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765278438126144609.post-7910791198459309232017-03-28T22:50:00.000-07:002017-03-28T22:50:25.948-07:00Move: To Madison, WI (8 Days Before Arrival)<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Preparing for an
interstate move is in many ways both fast and slow. There is only so
much that you can do from web-searches.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Such as finding out
how affordable housing in Madison can be. If you insist on having a
house with a yard, you can easily afford it. Near the airport. Under
flight paths. Or, near freeways or other limited-access high-speed
roads. Or, major intersections. Picky picky picky. Or, you can be,
um, liberal in your defining what “Madison” is; call pretty
much every village within 45 minutes of the corporate limits of
Madison as “Madison,” <i>et voila</i><span style="font-style: normal;">,
you have affordable housing.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">If
driving 45 minutes through scenic countryside, during a snow storm,
</span><span style="font-style: normal;">sounds like a terrifying way
to begin your day, then there are rather affordable apartments near
the well-to-do office parks of Middleton or Madison. Seriously. If
you don’t mind living in an apartment, and prioritize a short
commute on plowed streets, then you have several options. If you’re
willing to live among college students, and don’t mind leasing on a
semester-ly basis, then you have a lot of options in houses </span><span style="font-style: normal;">with
patina</span><span style="font-style: normal;">. </span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">The
downside is living among the well-mannered, sober, sophisticated,
emotionally-resilient, experienced-in-life, oh-so-unique and </span><i>charming</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
18-22 year-olds. And, there is nothing that they want more in their
midst </span><span style="font-style: normal;">than </span><span style="font-style: normal;">a
30-something </span><span style="font-style: normal;">Texan
</span><span style="font-style: normal;">aerospace-professional with a
hunting license, </span><span style="font-style: normal;">who</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
insist</span><span style="font-style: normal;">s</span><span style="font-style: normal;">
that the word </span><i>literally</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
is not its own antonym,</span><span style="font-style: normal;"> uses
math in making financial decisions, and thinks that </span><i>How to
Win Friends and Influence People </i><span style="font-style: normal;">is
a really good book.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
45-minute-or-more commute through dark, snowy weather seems
wonderful, by comparison. Less complaining.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Anyways,
web-searching can only go so far in helping you buy a house. There
are probably ways to buy real estate sight-unseen, without
interacting with another human. That seems like a bad idea when
it comes to selecting a place to live. The depth of work that a professional provides in house-buying necessitates more time than browsing listings on Zillow. Naturally, the people that you need to do
things have other customers to serve, who are
further along in the process or queue than you.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The good news is
that my mortgage pre-approval was completed. The real estate broker
is finding houses, and arranging for a tour.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In the meantime, the
car had its oil changed, tires rotated, engine air filter changed,
and wheel alignment checked. Notwithstanding the move, this would
have waited until mid-April. However, I would cross the mile
threshold somewhere between Houston and Little Rock, Arkansas. No
need to risk voiding the warranty, or frantically trying to get the
car serviced while starting a new job and continuing the house-buying
process.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As of tonight, I
have only four more workdays left at the current employer. Co-workers
and friends are graciously making time for final lunches and dinners.
It is heartwarming and humbling to know that you were (and are) part
of a community.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The final
occurrences (for the time being) of certain events are happening:
final visit to a particular dealership, final visit to the long-time
dentist, final Open House at the <a href="http://www.creatorspace.org/">CreatorSpace</a>. The final visit to the
Greenway Plaza-area CostCo was more than a month ago.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Meal planning is
somewhat tricky. Two things had ought to be minimized: spending
money, and buying food that will spoil before a chance to eat it
presents itself. The last time I moved, restaurant spending spiked.
Time that would go to buying groceries and cooking was spent on
moving possessions. Plus, there would always be some cooking tool or
dish missing, until everything was moved and unpacked. Plus, if you
have friends helping you, you reward their helpfulness with pizza,
beer, Chinese buffets, etc. The whole process can be so tiresome that the
thought of yet another drive to someplace else, to then stand at a
stove, or even wait for the pizza to finish baking, seems
unreasonable in light of other options.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This move will be
like that, except that recruiting Houston-area friends to follow me
to the Madison has proven difficult. Offers of beer and poutine have
not impressed them.</div>
Christopher Loydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12406224790720542509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7765278438126144609.post-89609046072341164762017-03-20T15:43:00.001-07:002017-03-20T15:51:59.454-07:00Move: To Madison, Wisconsin (17 Days Before Arrival)<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Abstract: I start a
new job on April 10, in Wisconsin. Whenever you relocate to a
different place, cost-of-living is an important issue. Madison and
Houston are comparable to each other, in that regard. Cost-of-living
websites give contradicting information. Nuance is required to
understand why a given website says that a certain town costs more or
less to live in than the other. To buy or to rent is considered.
Madison seems a better place to buy than rent, especially if you plan
to live there longer than a year. Due to the short time scale, I will
use AirBNB for short-term housing needs until a longer-term solution
is found.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The long version:
Sometimes, you have to move. Especially, if an aerospace company
makes an offer that you shouldn’t refuse. I start on April 10.
Having done the research on moving, certain things are clearer than
others.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
For example, the
cost of living. I’ve not yet reached a point in my life where I’m
willing to move to a town, then look for work. In the case of
Madison, I am following the job offer. During salary negotiations, it’s
important to know what kind of quality of life a given salary would
allow in the new town. Well, I know what I make in Houston, and would
prefer my quality of life to be similar, if not better in Madison.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
So, is Madison more
expensive than Houston?</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
According to
<a href="http://bestplaces.net/">BestPlaces.net</a> and <a href="http://bankrate.com/">Bankrate.com</a>, Madison costs <a href="http://www.bestplaces.net/cost-of-living/houston-tx/madison-wi/100">7</a> to 15%,
respectively, more than Houston. According to <a href="http://numbeo.com/">Numbeo.com</a>, Madison
<a href="https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_cities.jsp?country1=United+States&city1=Houston%2C+TX&country2=United+States&city2=Madison%2C+WI&amount=1000.00&displayCurrency=USD">costs 8% less</a>. The average among the three is 4.7% more expensive than Houston.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
BestPlaces
attributes most of the higher cost of living in Madison to an
increase healthcare costs. Healthcare is more expensive in Madison,
according to them. Fortunately, I’m in good health for now, and not
paying for healthcare with the same kind of frequency as a mortgage.
BestPlaces says that housing is less expensive in Madison than
Houston.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Bankrate begs to
differ. Average or median (not sure which) homes prices are much more
expensive in Madison ($362,264.33) than Houston ($263,601.33). Rent
prices, however, are slightly lower in Madison ($957 vs $998).</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Numbeo goes further,
showing that rent prices in Madison are 12% lower than in Houston.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I suspect that the
cost of living in Madison is more like Houston’s than not. No
dramatic increases as found in San Francisco or New York City.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
To continue with the
nerdiness, the next question is: buy or rent? This get really heavy
into the math. Thank goodness that there are online calculators that
will help you figure out how expensive of a house you can afford. The
process that I used is as follows:</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
1) Gather or have
available your gross salary offer and cost of benefits (health
insurance, etc).</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
2) Use <a href="https://www.paycheckcity.com/calculator/salary/">a paycheck calculator</a> to determine your take-home pay. Whichever calculator you
use should let you choose the State for Withholding, the
pay-frequency, whether health insurance is taken out of your gross
income (before taxes), and so on.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
3) With the
hopefully realistic estimate, find <a href="http://usmortgagecalculator.org/">a mortgage calculator</a> that
includes taxes, property taxes, PMI, etc. Play with the numbers,
until you find a house price that you can afford.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In terms of how much
money one should devote to housing, <a href="http://www.bankrate.com/calculators/mortgages/new-house-calculator.aspx">Bankrate says that</a> lenders
suggest no more than 28% of your income before taxes. While property
taxes and interest are tax deductible, they are only deductible if
you itemize. Sufficiently low taxes and interest may not be worth
itemizing. Personally, I maintain that until one can pay a mortgage
with pretax income on a monthly basis, one should stick with <b>post-tax
income</b> in these analyses. The income that actually pays the mortgage.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
4) With the house
price, go to a real estate website, and have at it. If and when you
find something attractive, note its price, number of bedrooms, square
footage, age of building, and anything else you find important.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Now, it gets really
nerdy.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
5) Go to the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/upshot/buy-rent-calculator.html?_r=0"><i>New York Times</i> Rent vs Buy calculator</a>. Enter in all the relevant
information, guessing or Googling for information as you need or
want. The calculator will tell you in no uncertain terms that if you
can find a similar place (number of bedrooms, square footage, age of
building, etc) at the indicated monthly rent, then you’re better
off renting.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
6) Go back to the
real estate website, and look for rentals in that price range.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In my situation, it
became clear that if one is sticking around in Madison for at least
two years, then one is typically better off buying. If you plan on
living in Madison for only just a year, then renting might make
sense. But, squinting at the details, it’s not clear one way or the
other (for 2017).</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Until I talk with a
real estate agent and a loan officer, the really fine, local,
specific details won’t be known. In the meantime, I will be staying
at an <a href="https://www.airbnb.com/">AirBNB</a>. Much cheaper, and more interesting than hotels.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The summary: With
the job start date known, find out all the numerical information that
you can about your expected take-home income, cost of living, and
housing options. Use online calculators to determine your financial
boundaries. When it becomes clear that you need to speak with local
people (real estate agent, loan officer, etc), wrap up your research
with information that you find particularly important (maximum cost
of house, maximum monthly rent, minimum amount of bedrooms, etc). The
clearer you are with your requirements and limits upfront with the
real estate agent, the faster the overall process can be otherwise.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
At this very moment,
I’m prioritizing making sure that I have a place to stay for at
least the next month. I temporarily leave my house in Houston on
April 5, and arrive in Madison by April 7. Housing should be ensured
for at least the April 7 through 18 time period. Thank goodness for
AirBNB.</div>
Christopher Loydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12406224790720542509noreply@blogger.com0