Chicago, being so close to Siberia, is at the present encountering the most depressing time of the year. With only a few minutes of sunshine a day we have to adjust our bodies to the darkness which will now be part of our existance until May or June, when once again we will be blessed with the return of the sun.
Oh, the wonders of technology. To combat the loss of the sun, Chicago is in the leading edge of creating a world of "Make Believe".

It snowed last night in Chicago. In any other part of the world this would be viewed as just another non-event. Not so in Chicago.
Snow in Chicago brings out the wild, dangerous animal instinct of those of us living in this urban jungle. All through the year most of the "humans" living in Chicago exist in a peaceful, "love thy neighbor" type of lifestyle.
To normal humans, snow is snow.Sometimes beautiful. In Chicago, snow is a threat to life. The first snow flake forces us to think of our neighbor, or neighbors, as the "devil".
Most drivers in Chicago park their cars in the street. More than likely in front of their homes. Fear overcomes our body when we see snow falling. Hate comes to view in our eyes when we see snow engulfing our parking spot.
With shovel in hand we remove the snow which has covered our parking spot. This could take one or two hours. To protect this little piece of heaven when we leave, we put something in the cleared spot to protect it from our foes (neighbors). The object could be a garbage can, a chair from our living room, even forcing the Mother-Law to sit outside to guard that spot. This cleared spot in winter is priceless. It will be guarded even if it requires the shedding of "blood".
This message has to be cut short. It is my shift to guard that little piece of "heaven" I just cleared of the sin from up above, SNOW.

Hardly a day goes by in Chicago without a new law "forbidding" its
inhabitants from doing something. Yesterday, a new law was passed. This one in regards to smoking. "Thou shall not smoke".
Starting in January, 2006, smoking illegally in Chicago will land you with a big fine or perhaps something worst.
It is going to be "illegal" to smoke within any building with the exception of your own home. No smoking in restaurants, work places or on a public street within 15 feet of an entrance into a building...which means everywhere.
Every law has a hidden purpose. More than likely, one of the reasons for this new law is to prevent another Chicago fire like the one we had during the 1870's. It would be too costly to rebuilt the city once again.
To be fair, this time around I happen to agree with this new law. The "shack" in which I "squat" was built not too long after the last Chicago fire. In fact the Chicago fire started within a walking distance from where I take "shelter" from the authorities.
Oh well, even in Chicago, sometimes life can be fair. No smoking anywhere in public...GREAT.

The danger of freezing to death in Chicago is just a degree or two away. At the moment, the temperature outdoors is hovering around zero degrees. The quest for survival has compelled me to venture outdoors. Need to purchase food etc;.
This current deep freeze brought back to my mind something our thoughtful city fathers (aldermen) were proposing to enact a few years back. As is their usual custom, they are always coming up with another law to "forbid" us from doing something.
Awhile back there were (and still is) many bank holdups in Chicago.The individuals doing the robberies wore ski masks very often.
Naturally, our aldermen, wise as they are, wanted to prohibit anyone from wearing a ski mask. The aldermen, in their wisdom, perhaps never had Geography while in school. Had they had Geography, they would have noted that Chicago is located near the Artic Circle. So being, the temperature gets very cold in winter.
Fortunately, the proposed law against wearing a ski mask never passed. No doubt, the thought of a voter freezing to death, would be one last vote cast to keep the aldermen in office at election time.
Of course, dead voters have never been a problem in the past history of Chicago elections. Dead voters have been known to vote from the grave.

What a day! Peace and quiet. Nothing of interest taking place at the moment. Light snow is falling. As far as I can determine,I have not broken any rules that I know of since most of everything is forbidden in Chicago.
I am still in "shock" from taking a "forbidden picture of a Christmas tree the other day. Fear grips me every time I hear a knock on the door. I ask myself, "Is this the PICTURE POLICE coming to arrest me"?
Perhaps it is best to seek the safety within the four walls of my shack within the city of Chicago.
Hopefully I may attempt to wander once again on Wednesday of this week. One must not let "fear" dictate the future of our delicate life.