I just returned from a trip to Toronto to visit my elderly mother during the coldest month in the city’s history. (Cue the “There’s snow in Toronto” jokes.) While there, I indulged in the simple city pleasures of riding the subway, visiting the ROM and the AGO, eating out, watching the news, and observing the inhabitants. (I also visited some family members,… Read more →
Fair weather drivers
Southerners are fair weather drivers. They get timid when it rains, and snow? Forget it. As a northerner, it took me a while to understand why everyone gets very excited leading up to winter storms. Grocery stores are cleared out of bread, eggs and milk. Batteries? Good luck. And getting your hands on salt, sand, snow melters or traction aids?… Read more →
Foreign exchange
Unlike most banks abroad, most American banks in smaller centers don’t keep foreign currency on hand. You can’t just waltz up and buy a couple hundred euros, pounds, Canadian dollars or Mexican pesos. (Personally, I think this is just wrong, but I am one mere mortal among minions.) If you need foreign currency prior to departure for adventures abroad, you need… Read more →
Hiking and outdoor recreation
Compared to other places I’ve lived, the Birmingham metro area is a bit…. light on hiking and recreation trails. And they aren’t linked. (Gee, you’d think that there wasn’t much regional cooperation – or something.) Now, just to assure you that I’m not whining without context, here’s where I’ve lived, with the accessible trail systems: Toronto, Ontario – and the Toronto… Read more →
Welcome to the ‘ham
Birmingham, that is. So, you’ve come here from outside the U.S. You want to get a grip on why things work the way they do here. Stick with me, baby, we’ll walk your newcomer butt through the essential intricacies of this town. There’s lots you don’t know, and no one is going tell you, because, to them, it’s so obvious. Read more →
Is Alabama Ready for Its Next Century?
This entry is based on a paper I wrote in the spring of 2011 for my political science class on state and civic government. Any errors or omissions are my own. As of early 2011, Birmingham has been through some tough years. As part of banking reforms put in place after the 2008 stock market crash, available credit across the… Read more →