Back when things were looser, my mother talked the school system into taking me at 4, her argument being that I was already reading and what was she supposed to do with me. The kindergarten teachers introduced us to the alphabet, saying "This is Mr. A and this is Mr. B." I thought my parents were forced to lock me up with crazy people. I was always ahead and bored, bored, bored. I think my social ineptness is more due to all the moving than my age.

Where it would have been beneficial would have been post high school.

That probably would've been good for me too, and I feel like now enough is talked about the gap year and stuff that it wouldn't have been such an odd idea, but then? When everyone I knew was applying and taking exams and having interviews? I couldn't imagine not going straight ahead to college. (Also, if I'd taken a year off it probably would've just meant another year of living at home and working as a cashier at the supermarket, and I'm not sure THAT would've been a growth experience)

Actually, Steph, I meant to ask you or flea at dinner last night about the people we saw running around downtown on Saturday with shopping carts. There was clearly some sort of competition going on (part of Bockfest, maybe??). Every now and then, all morning/afternoon, we'd see a few teams go racing by wherever we were. Each team was outfitted differently (like one team was dressed up like sock monkeys, one like Oompa-Loompas, there were a couple of mime teams, etc.). Any idea what that might have been about?

Sounds like the Cinciditarod.

Did we tell you all that we were reportedly staying in the same hotel as Newt Gingrich??

Dang, I didn't even know he was in town.

And a *fantastic* art museum where we spent several hours today.

Yay! Glad you liked it! (And I didn't realize it was a different Nick Cave. That's pretty funny.)

Oh, and we ended up eating at Dixie Chili on our way out of town.

That's a completely well-rounded Cincinnati trip!

basically just tasted like a weirdly spiced spaghetti sauce.

That's pretty much what it is, so that's about right. It's an acquired taste.

Sounds like the Cinciditarod.

Ooh, we have Chiditarod. I think it benefits animal groups. I meant to volunteer one year but got caught up in life stuff.

I would SO much rather prep for winter.

But, since you're always going to be cold, and you're only sometimes going to be hit by a tornado, well--the choice is different for me. The cold makes me cry. Literally. That's part of my prep for the winter. Weeping.

How the hell did you hold out in Montreal and Michigan for so long? I mean, I mostly love it but it must have been ghastly for you.

Montreal wasn't so bad (!!!) because I really liked the summers. Really really. But it was part of why I left. And then, Michigan...there were no good months to make up the bad. There was nowhere to hang, no cool (safe) jams to go to, no social structure, but safe (horrible) job, and family.

But, yeah--misery was a big amount of my day.

When I went back to NY January before last...and there was snow...it shocked me in a place I thought I'd hidden well.

Yeah, Montreal does winter well, all things considered.

Yeah, Montreal does winter well, all things considered.

Plus you get bagels.

truth be told, when I have been to Montreal (and it has always been in April, when it is still fucking cold up there), I have utilized the downtown underground passageways.

I find that quite civilized in cold climates.