madison raze she's maybe eight. there's this little gap between her two front teeth up top. when i tell her about the day a squirrel jumped on my leg, her whole face opens up because it's the most incredible thing she's ever heard. her brother is more reserved, but she wants to know everything. she wants to take it all in. wants to let big gulps of air fill the lungs of her life until they carry her so high above everything the ground she was standing on is no more than a pebble she could flick with her finger if only she could reach it. don't ever lose your sense of wonder, i want to tell her. don't let anyone take it away from you. keep it like a secret you're not afraid to share, and it'll take you anywhere you want to go. anywhere. 210901 ... nr i was walking down the street and turned the corner, and a cyclist went by me on the sidewalk. he said something like "pardon me" or "sorry," and i said "no worries," and he said "have a nice day!" in toronto, there wouldn't have been any of that banter; just the cyclist racing by you on the sidewalk, where they're not supposed to be, leaving you to dodge them. i like these midwestern towns and their friendliness. it resonates with me; i always felt like there's no reason not to be kind to someone unless you find out they really deserve it. but i love big cities, so the sparseness is hard to get used to. i suppose if i lived in chicago i could take weekend trips to madison. 211006 ... unhinged i saw modest_mouse and the dalai_lama in madison 211006 ... nr people are so friendly and helpful and patient there. when i landed in toronto, i immediately felt my protective layer strengthen to handle the cold. 220102 ... unhinged definitely felt like a different planet from milwaukee, was an escape from the mean city 220102 what's it to you? who go blather from