The second polar cold spell of the winter. The one this week and the one over Christmas weekend are only a couple days long.
We had some winters in the 1980’s that had arctic blasts that lasted for weeks.
Weeks…….
I’m taking the day off from work today and doing some business in the loop. I haven’t taken the train downtown since October of 2020. Those last seven months were surreal. Some days I’d have the whole section of the car to myself. Very few people went into the loop after covid hit. Stores closed, restaurants shuttered… only people roaming around were traders, construction workers and the homeless.
I’m not sure what to expect this morning. I’m looking forward to seeing any positive change there might be.
I worked downtown for over thirty years. I took the Lake Street el the first couple years and then the Congress el. When I got married and moved away from the CTA I started taking the Metra.
It was romantic to work on a trading floor. The first week I worked down there I wore my trading coat home and hung it on the coat tree in our foyer. My dad got home from work later than me and when he saw my trading jacket he asked me what the hell was hanging up next to his coat.
“Just remember son that all you guy’s screaming and running and waving your arms around are blue collar guys… you are just a blue collar guy Moose! The guys off the floor are the white collar guys.”
That advice stuck with me for five decades and kept me grounded.
Well maybe the one trip to Vegas and the hot tub full of Houston Oiler cheerleaders…. I probably should have been grounded after that long weekend.
I don’t know what awaits for me this morning. There is a very good chance February 1st, 2023 is a game changer. I’m going into the morning prepared for the worst and hopeful for the best…
I wish Heaven on Seven was still open. That would have been a great lunch. Maybe Ceres, maybe Miller’s Pub?
First things first….. gotta take care of business.
