Life in Chicago presents those who survive here with new dangers every day. Our latest dilema is CHRISTMAS RAGE.

One does not dare to wish anyone a Merry CHRISTmas. In Chicago the proper greeting is HAPPY HOLIDAYS. As not to offend anyone it has been decreed that CHRIST is to be taken out of CHRISTmas.

Go to any store in this armpit of Mid-America and you will be, if greeted at all, with HAPPY HOLIDAYS. Pity the salesperson who dares utter Merry CHRISTmas. CHRISTmas in this area has a more important meaning...$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

Should one forget, and wish another individual, Merry CHRISTmas, your days on earth will have been shortened. We have been "conditioned" to worship the new savior....$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. CHRIST is now a relic from a bygone age.

At the moment I am stranded in downtown Chicago. In normal times this would just be a regular day. Today, however, is not a regular day. Mickey Mouse is to arrive in Chicago later this afternoon.
I am stranded in the Harold Washington Library located in downtown Chicago. They are everywhere. Little tots on a rampage to see Mickey Mouse. "Weapons Of Mass Destruction" (McDonald Hamburger Wrappers) are floating in the atmosphere, inches away from my fragile head.
The noise is ear piercing. Fortunately I am able to program my hearing aid to "mute". Sadly there are no other precautions I can take to protect my safety. Cold sweat is exiting from the skin which covers my bones.
Time moves on. I have to face the dangers which await me from this mass of Mickey Mouse fans. Delay will only increase the danger which lies beyond the doors of the protection of this library.
Maybe, with luck, I will survive. Check this blog in the coming days to see if I still alive and mentally sound.

Each of us, without knowing it, could be harboring a dangerous weapon. Sounds like Science Fiction. Patience, truth is stranger than fiction.

Many days ago I made my way to visit the MCA Museum (Modern Art), here in Chicago. It happened to rain that day. As protection from the rain I had an umbrella. In a "sane" world this would appear to be logical. However, we no longer live in a "sane" world.

I entered the MCA Museum, umbrella in hand. As I was closing the umbrella, I was confronted by one of the security people. In no uncertain terms he warned me to "check" in the umbrella at the front desk. "Umbrellas are forbidden within the walls of the Museum".

This would never happen in a "sane" world. By now I realized we no longer live in a so-called "sane world". We are all "suspect" of being a "terrorist" especially those who carry an umbrella, a weapon of "mass destruction".

I believe we still have the right to confront our "accusers". Taking advantage of such a right, if it still exists, I asked the gurad why I cannot enter the Museum with the umbrella? At this point I pointed out to him, should he look outside, it was raining.

He could not give me an answer as to why it was forbidden to carry an umbrella on a rainy day. To risk imprisonment, I walked out of the Museum. Sadly I tried to comfort my poor umbrella, the weapon of "Mass Destruction".

Just trying to sort out my thoughts. I have come to the conclusion that here in Chicago we survive in the land of the "lawless". Recently the city of Chicago passed a law making it illegal to drive and use the cell phone while behind the wheel. Death is but one cell phone call away.
Sounds confusing. Permit me to go back in time about two days. While driving on the "lawless" streets of Chicago it was my misfortune to come upon one of these "lawless" citizens. This individual was doing an illegal act, talking on his cell phone while driving.
Another "lawless" citizen, in another vehicle, also talking on his cell phone, was coming from the opposite direction on a course which was going to result in a head-on collusion. Death was but one cell phone call away at this point.
At the very last instant both "lawless" individuals finally awoke from their cell phone fantasy and concluded their life on earth was but one interrupted cell phone call away. Both cars stopped only inches away from entering life in the hereafter.
This being the "lawless" frontier land of Chicago, justice must prevail. Like the classic movie,"High Noon", these two "lawless" individuals were prepared to preserve their "honor". This was to be settled in the middle of the dusty street of "lawless" Chicago.
Since my vehicle was directly behind the area where "justice" was to be played out, I realized my life was also on the line. My body was within the range of any stray bullet. Was this how an innocent life was to conclude its last breath? On a dusty street in "lawless" Chicago? All because of a cell phone.
Fortunately for me, this was not to be. The only bullets exchanged where the type of words spoken only in the dark alleys of "lawless" Chicago.
Mentally, I was one cell phone away from death.

Since this is my first message on this "blog"...I am at a loss for words. Where to start? Perhaps by stating that I enjoy photography. To me a picture is the only way we can capture a moment in time. Like we all know, time never stops. At best, we are left with only a fleeting memory of whatever has occured in the past. Ah, but with photography we can capture that moment for all time. Be it only a second in the movement of a clock.That one second becomes an eternity when it is given life on a photograph.