Well, I'm home! I pulled into our driveway at exactly 1am this morning. The trip was
pretty much everything that I wanted it to be, and I enjoyed myself immensely. You'll
have to forgive me for not uploading pics/blogging on the road; I found out some news
from home that put me in a funk towards the end of the journey.
After getting a speeding ticket in north-central Iowa (DAMN IT!), I made my way to the
Buddy Holly crash site, just north of Clear Lake. It's one of those places that you're
not going to find accidentally; I went down a couple of gravel roads to get to the site.
But you know where to start walking along the fence row when you see a giant metal
pair of Buddy's infamous glasses. I reached the site within half a mile. The small,
metal memorial has the names of the fated musician (Holly, the Big Bopper and Richie
Valens), and "the day the music died", February 3, 1959. It also features titles of some
of their hits.
Their final concert venue, The Surf Ballroom, is just five miles south. The Surf has been
preserved to look much as it did in the 40s and 50s, but still holds concerts for modern
groups. I was impressed with the numerous pictures of famous musicians who have
performed there; it seemed rather glitzy to be out in the middle of Iowa. I'd highly
recommend a stop there if you're driving on I-35.
When planning for this trip, I noticed that my map had a marker for the "Little Brown
Church in the Vale" about fifty miles east of Clear Lake. Curious, I stopped and took
some pictures and was interested to discover that this scenic, country church was the
inspiration for an old gospel hymn.
My final stop for Day Six was at the "Field of Dreams" movie site, near Dyersville, Iowa.
This is a real treasure, and if you're a fan of the movie (or of baseball), it is worth the
detour. The house, ball field, bleachers and farm look almost exactly as it did when the
movie was filmed in 1988. There is no admission and baseballs are provided, if you
wanted to bring your glove and play on the field. I was able to chat a bit with the owner
of the Field, an affable guy who was actually born in the house. He told me that he and
his family enjoyed doing it, even though he neglected to mention what the website said
(it's for sale.) I had a nice time walking around and couldn't resist asking one of the
workers, "Is this Heaven?!" He kinda chuckled but didn't say "No, it's Iowa!"--I think he'd
heard that one before...
Day Seven started with a lot of driving, but I was able to enjoy a visit at the Herbert
Hoover Presidential Library and Museum in West Branch, Iowa. The museum had a
great collection and emphasized Hoover's humanitarian efforts during both World Wars,
as opposed to his unfortunate presidency. His birthplace and gravesite are both there,
and the Park Service was gearing up for an upcoming celebration of his birthday.
My last stop was at Lagomarcino's, a Moline, Illinois confectionery and home of the only
soda fountain that I have ever been to. This place is like a walk back in time; I enjoyed a
delicious (but expensive) Black Raspberry Soda Float. Everything is homemade here;
the chocolates looked heavenly and the shop has been profiled in several magazines
(I discovered them in the book, Roadfood.)
The remaining drive through Illinois and Indiana was largely uneventful. The last fifty
miles of any trip are always the worst, and I found myself getting sleepy but persevered.
I had, for the most part, an excellent trip.
TOTAL STATES TRAVELED: 8 (KY, IN, IL, WI, MN, ND, SD, IA)
TOTAL MILES TRAVELED: est. 2,400
TOTAL TRIP EXPENSE: $819.46
TOTAL TRIP DURATION: 7 days, 7 nights
TOTAL AVERAGE MPG: 28.2
TOTAL STATES VISITED TO DATE: 46
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Day #4 & 5: North Dakota, South Dakota, Ocheyedan, Iowa
I'm fine, I'm fine...don't call 911 or the North Dakota State Patrol--I haven't
died. But I did finally get some much-deserved sleep and am writing this
morning from the home of my longtime friend Robin in Ocheyedan, Iowa
(pop. 500). My apologies for the delay; I was just too worn out last night,
after driving no fewer than 530 miles!
Yesterday morning started out in North Dakota, where I spent the night at
the Mayville Hometown Inn (a very clean and friendly establishment.) I
enjoyed a pizza in this small college town prior to heading to my room the
night before, courtesy of the Pizza Shop. If you ever find yourself in Mayville,
(what? you haven't already been?!), I highly recommend my lodgings and
the Pizza Shop. Tell Katie I sent you--she's the 6-foot Nordic-looking girl
who works there and has lived in "Dekotaaa" her whole life.
My first stop was the KVLY-TV antenna, just east of Blanchard. That
sounds like a lame thing to visit, but it is actually the second tallest
structure in the World, at 2,063 feet. North Dakota's flatness makes it all
the more impressive; when I first saw the thing, my GPS revealed that I
was thirteen miles from the site. Good times.
Afterwards, I visited the November-33 and Oscar-Zero Missile Sites (now
owned by the North Dakota State Historical Society.) I've been to more
historic sites than I can count, but nuclear missile historic properties were
a first for me. Oscar Zero, the launch center, was very impressive. I took
an elevator fifty feet down into the bunker where select Air Force officers
were once on shift 24-7 waiting for word from the President to launch
missiles. I left the place awed and kinda sad, actually, especially hearing
from my all-of-sixteen-but-well-informed tour guide that there were still
150 active missiles in North Dakota.
Leaving the site, I took several picturesque county and state roads, many
with beautiful grassland, to get to southern North Dakota. There, I got my
picture taken with the World's Largest Catfish in Wahpeton. (Hey, a place
has to be known for something.)
The haul down through South Dakota on I-29 was long and tedious, and I
was ready for a break when I got to the Devil's Gulch Park in Garretson.
According to legend, Jesse James was cornered following a robbery and
somehow convinced his horse to jump across an 18-foot ravine here,
enabling him to get away. There is bridge now, and with the pinkish-colored
rocks and deep rivers, this is a beautiful sight. Right down from Devil's
Gulch is Split Rock Park, featuring an awesome waterfall.
Today involves a lot of resting and visiting with Robin. Tomorrow, I'll be on
the road again, "come sun up." *Cue old western theme.*
TOMORROW: Surf Ballroom, Northeast Iowa, Field of Dreams
P.S.-My Honda CR-V scored some victories yesterday: she celebrated
100k miles around Brookings, South Dakota and also gave me 29.8 mpg,
her best gas mileage to date.
died. But I did finally get some much-deserved sleep and am writing this
morning from the home of my longtime friend Robin in Ocheyedan, Iowa
(pop. 500). My apologies for the delay; I was just too worn out last night,
after driving no fewer than 530 miles!
Yesterday morning started out in North Dakota, where I spent the night at
the Mayville Hometown Inn (a very clean and friendly establishment.) I
enjoyed a pizza in this small college town prior to heading to my room the
night before, courtesy of the Pizza Shop. If you ever find yourself in Mayville,
(what? you haven't already been?!), I highly recommend my lodgings and
the Pizza Shop. Tell Katie I sent you--she's the 6-foot Nordic-looking girl
who works there and has lived in "Dekotaaa" her whole life.
My first stop was the KVLY-TV antenna, just east of Blanchard. That
sounds like a lame thing to visit, but it is actually the second tallest
structure in the World, at 2,063 feet. North Dakota's flatness makes it all
the more impressive; when I first saw the thing, my GPS revealed that I
was thirteen miles from the site. Good times.
Afterwards, I visited the November-33 and Oscar-Zero Missile Sites (now
owned by the North Dakota State Historical Society.) I've been to more
historic sites than I can count, but nuclear missile historic properties were
a first for me. Oscar Zero, the launch center, was very impressive. I took
an elevator fifty feet down into the bunker where select Air Force officers
were once on shift 24-7 waiting for word from the President to launch
missiles. I left the place awed and kinda sad, actually, especially hearing
from my all-of-sixteen-but-well-informed tour guide that there were still
150 active missiles in North Dakota.
Leaving the site, I took several picturesque county and state roads, many
with beautiful grassland, to get to southern North Dakota. There, I got my
picture taken with the World's Largest Catfish in Wahpeton. (Hey, a place
has to be known for something.)
The haul down through South Dakota on I-29 was long and tedious, and I
was ready for a break when I got to the Devil's Gulch Park in Garretson.
According to legend, Jesse James was cornered following a robbery and
somehow convinced his horse to jump across an 18-foot ravine here,
enabling him to get away. There is bridge now, and with the pinkish-colored
rocks and deep rivers, this is a beautiful sight. Right down from Devil's
Gulch is Split Rock Park, featuring an awesome waterfall.
Today involves a lot of resting and visiting with Robin. Tomorrow, I'll be on
the road again, "come sun up." *Cue old western theme.*
TOMORROW: Surf Ballroom, Northeast Iowa, Field of Dreams
P.S.-My Honda CR-V scored some victories yesterday: she celebrated
100k miles around Brookings, South Dakota and also gave me 29.8 mpg,
her best gas mileage to date.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Day #3: Twin Cities, Western Minnesota, Fargo
Greetings from Fargo (yes, we're more than just the movie), North Dakota.
It has been a nice day of sightseeing and driving. I am the only one here at
Babb's Coffee Shop downtown, and I'm just fine with that.
Woke up to a very rainy Minneapolis. In fact, everything from overcast skies
to annoying sprinkles and near-torrential downpours have plagued my travels
today. I'm not complaining though; it was the first day that I wasn't getting
a farmer's tan (burn, actually). When the rain was in intermission, I had some
very nice drives.
I navigated through the late rush-hour of Minneapolis to the Sculpture Garden.
There, I saw the famous super-sized "Spoon and Cherry", and took pics of
other interesting outdoor art. Trying to find parking downtown was a chore,
but I eventually succeeded and snapped a photo of the statue of Mary Tyler
Moore throwing her hat in the air. I kept singing the theme song in my head,
"Who can turn the World on with her smile?..."
It wasn't long before I was in the neighboring city of St. Paul, where I arrived
in time to join a tour of the Minnesota State Capitol. This is an impressive
building, though it is unfortunately falling apart. Being able to view the city
and seeing up-close the golden horse/chariot statue on top of the Capitol
was totally worth the informative tour.
Leaving the Twin Cities, I meandered up I-94, north to US-10, to the
picturesque town of Little Falls, boyhood home of aviator Charles Lindbergh.
A problem with traveling on a Monday is that a lot of smaller operations can't
stay open five-seven days a week, so they close one day during the week
and yes--this place was closed. I took some pics and went on my way.
The 130+ miles from Little Falls to Fargo was enjoyable. I took Minnesota
State Route 108, a beautiful road connecting US-10 to I-94. Listen: they
call Minnesota the "Land of 10,000 Lakes" for a reason, folks. I was on
that stretch for a good thirty miles and I can easily attest to seeing at
least two dozen lakes. I'm not kidding. Also found some great sunflower
fields and other good photo opportunities.
Fargo is actually kinda nice. It's not large at all, but the small downtown
is charming and the city has invested well in its main strip. There are
several shops and newer developments and concentrated efforts at
beautification. Unfortunately, there's just nothing here.
Okay. I am getting hungry and sleepy, and since I don't know where I'm
staying, it's time to work on that. Hope this finds you well. :)
TOMORROW: North Dakota, South Dakota, Ocheyedan
It has been a nice day of sightseeing and driving. I am the only one here at
Babb's Coffee Shop downtown, and I'm just fine with that.
Woke up to a very rainy Minneapolis. In fact, everything from overcast skies
to annoying sprinkles and near-torrential downpours have plagued my travels
today. I'm not complaining though; it was the first day that I wasn't getting
a farmer's tan (burn, actually). When the rain was in intermission, I had some
very nice drives.
I navigated through the late rush-hour of Minneapolis to the Sculpture Garden.
There, I saw the famous super-sized "Spoon and Cherry", and took pics of
other interesting outdoor art. Trying to find parking downtown was a chore,
but I eventually succeeded and snapped a photo of the statue of Mary Tyler
Moore throwing her hat in the air. I kept singing the theme song in my head,
"Who can turn the World on with her smile?..."
It wasn't long before I was in the neighboring city of St. Paul, where I arrived
in time to join a tour of the Minnesota State Capitol. This is an impressive
building, though it is unfortunately falling apart. Being able to view the city
and seeing up-close the golden horse/chariot statue on top of the Capitol
was totally worth the informative tour.
Leaving the Twin Cities, I meandered up I-94, north to US-10, to the
picturesque town of Little Falls, boyhood home of aviator Charles Lindbergh.
A problem with traveling on a Monday is that a lot of smaller operations can't
stay open five-seven days a week, so they close one day during the week
and yes--this place was closed. I took some pics and went on my way.
The 130+ miles from Little Falls to Fargo was enjoyable. I took Minnesota
State Route 108, a beautiful road connecting US-10 to I-94. Listen: they
call Minnesota the "Land of 10,000 Lakes" for a reason, folks. I was on
that stretch for a good thirty miles and I can easily attest to seeing at
least two dozen lakes. I'm not kidding. Also found some great sunflower
fields and other good photo opportunities.
Fargo is actually kinda nice. It's not large at all, but the small downtown
is charming and the city has invested well in its main strip. There are
several shops and newer developments and concentrated efforts at
beautification. Unfortunately, there's just nothing here.
Okay. I am getting hungry and sleepy, and since I don't know where I'm
staying, it's time to work on that. Hope this finds you well. :)
TOMORROW: North Dakota, South Dakota, Ocheyedan
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Day #2: Western Wisconsin, Great River Road, Minneapolis
WHEW! What a day. I am worn out, but here goes....
I got an early start on the day and ended up at The House on the Rock in
Spring Green, Wisconsin, by 9:30. Although I could have taken the tour of
the entire house, it was lengthy and full of collections that I originally didn't
think I wanted to see. But after touring one section, I definitely want to go
back someday. You have never seen anything like the House on the Rock.
Imagine a building that never had a blueprint and was added on to for over
forty years, at the whim of a wealthy, eccentric owner. Now imagine that
same structure with thousands of stained glass lamps, musical instruments
playing automatically, windows with views blocked by stenciled wood
carvings and ceilings and floors which are given their shape--by the natural
rock. This place is a must-see. Of course, I don't have enough pictures to
verify its magnificence, as my battery chose to die during the tour. I was
quietly livid--especially when I got out to my car and saw that the camera
bag had four extras in it. Oh well...
I continued up into the "hill country" of western Wisconsin and enjoyed
passing through towns such as Romance and Gotham. Within a couple
of hours, I was on the Great River Road heading to La Crosse.
The wide Mississippi and the surrounding hills and trees of Wisconsin
and Minnesota make for a pleasant drive. The Great River Road was
probably the only decently-paved stretch of pavement in the entire
Badger State. When I arrived in La Crosse, I proceeded to City Brewery,
with its alleged "World's Largest Six-Pack" on display. After driving along
the river in Minnesota, I crossed a bridge to get to Fountain City, home
of "Rock in the House" (see Facebook pics.) It was definitely not your
ordinary tourist attraction. The remainder of the drive to Minneapolis was
pleasant (although very hot.)
When I arrived, I went to Mall of America. It didn't take me long to get
tired of this insane tribute to capitalism at its worst; that place is large
enough to have three zip codes. I am probably the only person to go
and spend a) less than two hours shopping and b) no money. Still, I can
see what allures folks. There are a LOT of stores.
I ended the day with a visit to Minnehaha Falls and had a yummy dinner
at the funky Oscar Wilde Cafe in the University district of Minneapolis.
I am at a very decent La Quinta Inn in the suburbs and ready for some
sleep!
TOMORROW: Twin Cities, Little Falls, North Dakota
I got an early start on the day and ended up at The House on the Rock in
Spring Green, Wisconsin, by 9:30. Although I could have taken the tour of
the entire house, it was lengthy and full of collections that I originally didn't
think I wanted to see. But after touring one section, I definitely want to go
back someday. You have never seen anything like the House on the Rock.
Imagine a building that never had a blueprint and was added on to for over
forty years, at the whim of a wealthy, eccentric owner. Now imagine that
same structure with thousands of stained glass lamps, musical instruments
playing automatically, windows with views blocked by stenciled wood
carvings and ceilings and floors which are given their shape--by the natural
rock. This place is a must-see. Of course, I don't have enough pictures to
verify its magnificence, as my battery chose to die during the tour. I was
quietly livid--especially when I got out to my car and saw that the camera
bag had four extras in it. Oh well...
I continued up into the "hill country" of western Wisconsin and enjoyed
passing through towns such as Romance and Gotham. Within a couple
of hours, I was on the Great River Road heading to La Crosse.
The wide Mississippi and the surrounding hills and trees of Wisconsin
and Minnesota make for a pleasant drive. The Great River Road was
probably the only decently-paved stretch of pavement in the entire
Badger State. When I arrived in La Crosse, I proceeded to City Brewery,
with its alleged "World's Largest Six-Pack" on display. After driving along
the river in Minnesota, I crossed a bridge to get to Fountain City, home
of "Rock in the House" (see Facebook pics.) It was definitely not your
ordinary tourist attraction. The remainder of the drive to Minneapolis was
pleasant (although very hot.)
When I arrived, I went to Mall of America. It didn't take me long to get
tired of this insane tribute to capitalism at its worst; that place is large
enough to have three zip codes. I am probably the only person to go
and spend a) less than two hours shopping and b) no money. Still, I can
see what allures folks. There are a LOT of stores.
I ended the day with a visit to Minnehaha Falls and had a yummy dinner
at the funky Oscar Wilde Cafe in the University district of Minneapolis.
I am at a very decent La Quinta Inn in the suburbs and ready for some
sleep!
TOMORROW: Twin Cities, Little Falls, North Dakota
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Day #1: Racine, Milwaukee, Madison & Mineral Point, WI
After driving across the state of Wisconsin, I can say this much: its appeal
isn't just cheese--it has whey more than that.
Okay, no more dairy puns, sorry..
My day started around 9am and after getting a surprisingly large continental
breakfast at my motel, I set off to find the yummy Racine pastry known as
the 'kringle'. My sample at the highly-recommended O&H Danish Bakery
was delectable, but I opted for an equally appealing (and much cheaper)
tart danish. After Racine, I made the 30-mile drive to Milwaukee.
For some reason, I never got a good mental image whenever I heard the city
mentioned. Maybe it's because Jeffrey Dahmer lived there, I dunno. Anyway,
what a neat town. After taking a picture of the Milwaukee Art Museum with its
structural wings that close at night and open during the day (I'm not making
this up, people), I took a walk around the Historic Third Ward. Many cities
could benefit to learn from Milwaukee's preservation of its older buildings--
what a gem. Afterwards, I took a nice stroll down the Riverwalk and got my
picture taken with "The Fonz" of Happy Days fame! (Ok, it was just his
likeness in bronze.) I later nearly caused an accident on the highway when
I swerved to get off of the exit taking me to the Miller brewing plant. I'm not
a huge fan of the stuff but Milwaukee certainly is, so I snapped some photos
and took off. Outside of the city, I stopped at Kopp's Frozen Custard and
had one of the messiest meals of my life (though not a bad meal at all.)
Note: Custard melts MUCH faster than ice cream, so order it in a cup (NOT
a waffle cone), and under no circumstances should you take it out to your
car on a 90 degree day--the custard wont wait for you to turn on the air
(which doesn't really help, either.)
Anyway, Madison was next and I was impressed with this clean, water-
abundant town, full of bicycle lanes, green-friendly initiatives and other
progressive measures. I visited Monona Terrace, the Frank Lloyd Wright-
designed convention center, which had some great views of the two lakes
surrounding Madison and the Wisconsin State Capitol. The Capitol is a
beautiful structure, and I really haven't seen another one quite like it. I took
some great photos from the observation deck. The quirkiness of State
Street didn't hold me for long, as I had walked a lot in the heat already and
was getting cranky from not hydrating myself properly. Had a swell visit.
I ended up in Mineral Point, Wisconsin tonight--and I'm lucky that I did;
the town is one of Wisconsin's oldest, and has a fantastic historic/arts
district. I went to a restaurant called Brewery Creek and had a good meal,
followed by a walk around "Shake Rag Alley" which is a school for arts
and crafts in a beautiful setting. Ended the evening with a much-needed
soak in the motel jacuzzi. Missing my Guy, but having a good time. Hope
you're enjoying your weekend; you'd be a curd not to.
Okay, I'm done, I swear...
TOMORROW: Western WI, Great River Road, Minneapolis, MN
isn't just cheese--it has whey more than that.
Okay, no more dairy puns, sorry..
My day started around 9am and after getting a surprisingly large continental
breakfast at my motel, I set off to find the yummy Racine pastry known as
the 'kringle'. My sample at the highly-recommended O&H Danish Bakery
was delectable, but I opted for an equally appealing (and much cheaper)
tart danish. After Racine, I made the 30-mile drive to Milwaukee.
For some reason, I never got a good mental image whenever I heard the city
mentioned. Maybe it's because Jeffrey Dahmer lived there, I dunno. Anyway,
what a neat town. After taking a picture of the Milwaukee Art Museum with its
structural wings that close at night and open during the day (I'm not making
this up, people), I took a walk around the Historic Third Ward. Many cities
could benefit to learn from Milwaukee's preservation of its older buildings--
what a gem. Afterwards, I took a nice stroll down the Riverwalk and got my
picture taken with "The Fonz" of Happy Days fame! (Ok, it was just his
likeness in bronze.) I later nearly caused an accident on the highway when
I swerved to get off of the exit taking me to the Miller brewing plant. I'm not
a huge fan of the stuff but Milwaukee certainly is, so I snapped some photos
and took off. Outside of the city, I stopped at Kopp's Frozen Custard and
had one of the messiest meals of my life (though not a bad meal at all.)
Note: Custard melts MUCH faster than ice cream, so order it in a cup (NOT
a waffle cone), and under no circumstances should you take it out to your
car on a 90 degree day--the custard wont wait for you to turn on the air
(which doesn't really help, either.)
Anyway, Madison was next and I was impressed with this clean, water-
abundant town, full of bicycle lanes, green-friendly initiatives and other
progressive measures. I visited Monona Terrace, the Frank Lloyd Wright-
designed convention center, which had some great views of the two lakes
surrounding Madison and the Wisconsin State Capitol. The Capitol is a
beautiful structure, and I really haven't seen another one quite like it. I took
some great photos from the observation deck. The quirkiness of State
Street didn't hold me for long, as I had walked a lot in the heat already and
was getting cranky from not hydrating myself properly. Had a swell visit.
I ended up in Mineral Point, Wisconsin tonight--and I'm lucky that I did;
the town is one of Wisconsin's oldest, and has a fantastic historic/arts
district. I went to a restaurant called Brewery Creek and had a good meal,
followed by a walk around "Shake Rag Alley" which is a school for arts
and crafts in a beautiful setting. Ended the evening with a much-needed
soak in the motel jacuzzi. Missing my Guy, but having a good time. Hope
you're enjoying your weekend; you'd be a curd not to.
Okay, I'm done, I swear...
TOMORROW: Western WI, Great River Road, Minneapolis, MN
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Intro: The Great American Plains Journey of 2011
road trip (n): a journey via automobile, sometimes unplanned
or impromptu... --www.dictionary.comWell, I am on the road again. The road trip gods started calling me months
ago. Unfortunately, their calls went straight to voice mail, as I hadn't had the
opportunity to save funds or get a clear picture on where exactly I wanted to
go. And then it hit me: I have some states that I need to get out of the way.
Greetings from an average motel in Racine, Wisconsin! What better place
is there to spend your summer vacation than Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowaand North and South Dakota?! (Don't let that thin veil of sarcasm fool you;
I'm actually quite excited!) While those three states may not be as exotic
as Florida, California or Hawaii, I have done my homework enough to find
that my "Plains States" really aren't so 'plain', after all. Is the largest mall
in the country located in California? Nope. Does Florida have a former
underground nuclear missile launcher as a state historic site? Doubtful.
Can you tour the "Field of Dreams" movie site in Hawaii? Not a chance.
The ride up was a little hectic due to congestion between Louisville and
Indianapolis. After Indy, however, it was actually kinda nice. The
temperature finally dropped to the point where I felt like I wouldn't be
risking heat stroke to open my windows and sunroof. The congestion
mostly disappeared. Chicago was its usual crazy pace, but I made it
through just fine (without using any of its toll roads, thank you but no
thank you!) Gas prices dropped 24 cents from $3.97 north of Chicago to
$3.73, once I had crossed into Wisconsin. I surprisingly (and stubbornly)
held out for it, too: between my bladder and low fuel, I wasn't sure what
was going to give out first--my Honda or myself.
TOMORROW: Milwaukee, Madison, Western Wisconsin (?)
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
U.S. Financial Insomnia
It is 12:30am.
In this hour, in the wee beginning of a random Tuesday, my Partner is sound asleep
and I should be right there with him. Not me, unfortunately. Being the civic-minded,
nerdy, political junkie that I am, has me seriously concerned over the looming United
States debt crisis. I am a 29-year old with a stable job, without a mortgage of my own,
holding down some credit card debt--and here I am worrying about the teens of trillions
of dollars that my government (and in effect, me) owes everybody else. At 12:34am.
The Secretary of the Treasury must take Ambien.
Where to start my rant about this mess? I find it appropriate to do what everyone else
does in times of crisis: it's time to find someone to blame. It seems like most people
are blaming Congress (in other news, the sky is blue.) For those who aren't blaming
Congress, they choose to fault President Obama (in other news, the Pope is Catholic.)
Well, I guess I will have to pick between those two monsters...wait, though. I think I
have found a different, destructive monster. And I'm sorry to point the finger, but I blame...
You (and Me.)
We got greedy, folks. We took on more than we could handle. We bought $200k houses
when we only had enough income to afford the $100k range. We spent away, thinking
that we could pay our debts sooner or later. Maybe those student loans would pay
themselves off with a high-paying job. Maybe that promotion would come. Perhaps the
stocks would get back to the way they were in the '90s, and maybe--just maybe--the
real estate market would start booming again. But sooner became later, and the money
never showed. And here we are. Yes, we. That includes those of you who want to get
"high and mighty" with me for saying such a thing, when you're one of those people
who doesn't have any credit card debt or owes anything. If you've exercised your right
to vote to send the same pork-barreling idiots to Congress who helped get us further
down the drain: you are accountable as well.
Now that I've lost my entire audience, I can safely say that I did what we Americans
have become famous for doing: blaming someone else. It is far easier to criticize and
blame than to offer solutions.
I have been researching this for weeks, people. And I can safely say that I cannot form
a decent solution because a) I agree with many different parts of existing solutions and
b) even after weeks of studying the problems, I, like so many other Americans, don't
quite get it. I 'get' that we're in debt. I 'get' the debt limit. I 'get' that revenue is good for
the bankrolls and that defaulting is bad. But the budget? Where and how much to cut?
Estimating how much we'll have next year? Forget it.
Here, however is what I know: we must address this problem--and we must address it
now. We must not allow politicization of such a sensitive issue bring down the financial
stability of our country--to keep our president from being reelected, or to make the GOP
look bad. I fear that this is going to happen. I fear that next week, we will default on our
obligations and that all sorts of problems will ensue. I'm not going to join the hyperactive
few who are claiming U.S. financial Armageddon, but we will have some major problems.
In a time where people are shouting and being nasty over an issue which hits a lot closer
to home than they want to admit, we must also remember to send strength, hopes for a
solution/compromise and/or prayers to those who are tackling this grave issue. And in
working to eliminate the national debt and overspending which has surrounded us so
harshly, we must also remember to work to eliminate these things--in ourselves.
I am going to bed now in the hopes that my country and I will wake up in the morning,
not to bacon and eggs (although it would be nice.)
I hope we awaken to a solution.
In this hour, in the wee beginning of a random Tuesday, my Partner is sound asleep
and I should be right there with him. Not me, unfortunately. Being the civic-minded,
nerdy, political junkie that I am, has me seriously concerned over the looming United
States debt crisis. I am a 29-year old with a stable job, without a mortgage of my own,
holding down some credit card debt--and here I am worrying about the teens of trillions
of dollars that my government (and in effect, me) owes everybody else. At 12:34am.
The Secretary of the Treasury must take Ambien.
Where to start my rant about this mess? I find it appropriate to do what everyone else
does in times of crisis: it's time to find someone to blame. It seems like most people
are blaming Congress (in other news, the sky is blue.) For those who aren't blaming
Congress, they choose to fault President Obama (in other news, the Pope is Catholic.)
Well, I guess I will have to pick between those two monsters...wait, though. I think I
have found a different, destructive monster. And I'm sorry to point the finger, but I blame...
You (and Me.)
We got greedy, folks. We took on more than we could handle. We bought $200k houses
when we only had enough income to afford the $100k range. We spent away, thinking
that we could pay our debts sooner or later. Maybe those student loans would pay
themselves off with a high-paying job. Maybe that promotion would come. Perhaps the
stocks would get back to the way they were in the '90s, and maybe--just maybe--the
real estate market would start booming again. But sooner became later, and the money
never showed. And here we are. Yes, we. That includes those of you who want to get
"high and mighty" with me for saying such a thing, when you're one of those people
who doesn't have any credit card debt or owes anything. If you've exercised your right
to vote to send the same pork-barreling idiots to Congress who helped get us further
down the drain: you are accountable as well.
Now that I've lost my entire audience, I can safely say that I did what we Americans
have become famous for doing: blaming someone else. It is far easier to criticize and
blame than to offer solutions.
I have been researching this for weeks, people. And I can safely say that I cannot form
a decent solution because a) I agree with many different parts of existing solutions and
b) even after weeks of studying the problems, I, like so many other Americans, don't
quite get it. I 'get' that we're in debt. I 'get' the debt limit. I 'get' that revenue is good for
the bankrolls and that defaulting is bad. But the budget? Where and how much to cut?
Estimating how much we'll have next year? Forget it.
Here, however is what I know: we must address this problem--and we must address it
now. We must not allow politicization of such a sensitive issue bring down the financial
stability of our country--to keep our president from being reelected, or to make the GOP
look bad. I fear that this is going to happen. I fear that next week, we will default on our
obligations and that all sorts of problems will ensue. I'm not going to join the hyperactive
few who are claiming U.S. financial Armageddon, but we will have some major problems.
In a time where people are shouting and being nasty over an issue which hits a lot closer
to home than they want to admit, we must also remember to send strength, hopes for a
solution/compromise and/or prayers to those who are tackling this grave issue. And in
working to eliminate the national debt and overspending which has surrounded us so
harshly, we must also remember to work to eliminate these things--in ourselves.
I am going to bed now in the hopes that my country and I will wake up in the morning,
not to bacon and eggs (although it would be nice.)
I hope we awaken to a solution.
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