Jul 15 2026 2026-07-15 2026-07-15 NoComment by Ross

Unplanned job change….

Posted in Work

Life has definitely been a roller coaster the last few years. Today was another dip. I got laid off.

Now, before everyone starts sending sympathy cards, let me add a little context. I knew it was coming. It still landed with a bit of a thud, but as layoffs go, I’m probably one of the last people who should complain.

First, my wife has been the family’s primary breadwinner for the last 18 years. We’re going to be okay financially.

Second, I was only planning on working another couple of years anyway.

Third, thanks to the wonderful world of Chicago Public Schools, I get to spend the next school year in the “reassigned teacher pool.” Translation: They’ll keep paying me my full salary while they send me somewhere else. That somewhere will either be a school that struggles to hire people (draw your own conclusions), or I’ll become a full-time substitute. Neither option was on my vision board, but I can handle either for a year.

Honestly, I know a lot more than I did nine years ago when I first walked into a difficult school. I’ve made plenty of mistakes, learned from them, and I’m far less likely to let the job consume me. If I end up in a challenging building, I’ll survive. I’ve done it before.

Still…it’s weird.

I’m 60 years old, and this is the first time I’ve ever been fired or laid off. Every other job I’ve ever had ended because I chose to leave. There’s something about having someone else make that decision for you that feels a little strange, even when you know it’s coming and even when, logically, you know you’ll be fine.

And I will be fine.

In fact, sitting here, I mostly feel grateful. Our kids are grown. The house will be paid off in about a year. We don’t have student loans hanging over us or little kids depending on every paycheck.  We have been diligent about saving and investing for retirement, and were fortunate to inherit some money when my parents passed away.

I don’t know who else lost their jobs today, but I do know they’re almost certainly younger than I am. Many probably have toddlers at home, daycare bills, mortgages, student loans, and careers they thought were just getting started. For them, this could be a genuine crisis.

For me? It’s mostly an inconvenience.

Sure, it joins a fairly impressive collection of life’s little plot twists over the last five years. Apparently, the universe subscribed me to the “character-building” package. But compared to what so many people deal with, this barely registers.

Besides, on Friday, I leave for my annual summer trip to Utah. I’ll hike, bike, swim, kayak, and SUP. I’ll eat good food. I’ll spend time with great people. I’ll stare at mountains that have absolutely no interest in my employment status. I’ll breathe clean air, unplug a little, and remember that the world is still a pretty amazing place.

Life is funny like that. One day, you’re cleaning out your classroom. Three days later, you’re sitting on a mountain wondering why you ever worried in the first place.

It’s still a great day to be alive.


Jul 06 2026 2026-07-06 2026-07-06 NoComment by Ross

Two Wrongs Don’t Make a Right…

Posted in Sports

I’m with the crowd that thinks there was no cause for the red card against Folarin Balogun in the last USMNT game. At best, it should have been a yellow. There was no intent or malice and, as many people have pointed out, Lionel Messi didn’t receive a red card for a more egregious incident.

So yes, I’m happy Balogun will play tonight because the suspension was lifted.

But I don’t think it was the right call.

The United States didn’t have the right to appeal the suspension. By FIFA’s rules, Balogun should have been out. Instead, calls from President Trump—or at least from people in his administration – to the head of FIFA apparently persuaded the organization to invoke some rule and lift the suspension.

Great. I understand that there is technically a mechanism that allowed FIFA to do it. But it feels unseemly.

The original decision was wrong, but using political pressure to overturn it doesn’t suddenly make it right. Two wrongs don’t make a right.

And now we’ve created a precedent. Last night England received a red card. What happens if Prime Minister Keir Starmer picks up the phone? Does England get the same treatment? If Argentina calls on Messi’s behalf? If Brazil calls for one of its stars?

Rules lose their meaning when they only apply until someone influential enough complains.

And yes, I know FIFA lifted a suspension against Cristiano Ronaldo back in November so he could play. If that’s true, I think that was wrong too.

What I’d rather see is FIFA amend its rules and allow appeals of red cards in cases of obvious error. Other sports have recognized that officials can make mistakes and have created procedures to correct them. That seems like a fair and transparent solution.  Better (in my humble opinion) is to make red cards more like hockey penalties.  The player leaves the pitch for 10 minutes, and the team plays a man down.  I don’t really get the “and miss the next game.”  Seems pretty harsh.

Nevertheless, as long as there is no right to appeal, the call should stand unless FIFA decides entirely on its own to review the situation – not because a president or prime minister makes a phone call.

Bad calls happen in sports. So does injustice.

The answer can’t be, “Well, our side benefited this time.”

 


Jul 04 2026 2026-07-04 2026-07-04 NoComment by Ross

Random Fact of the Day….

Posted in Chicago

From AI:

Chicago’s Leavitt Street is named after David Leavitt, a New York banker and financier who played an important role in saving the construction of the Illinois and Michigan Canal.

In the 1840s, the canal project was running out of money and in danger of collapsing. Leavitt, who represented bondholders and helped arrange financing to complete the canal, was instrumental in keeping the project alive. The canal’s completion in 1848 transformed Chicago into a major transportation and commercial hub by linking the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River system. In gratitude for his efforts, Chicago named Leavitt Street after him.

It’s one of many Chicago streets named after people who helped build the city, even though David Leavitt himself was a New Yorker and not a Chicago resident.

I’ll do this from time to time, but AI makes it so much easier now.  I think most people (including myself) drive down roads all day long without any thought to who they are named for.


Jul 04 2026 2026-07-04 2026-07-04 NoComment by Ross

Ready to Leave This State…

Posted in Old Man Yelling at the Sky

We are literally the only house on our block flying a US flag today.  Sigh.


Jul 02 2026 2026-07-02 2026-07-02 NoComment by Ross

From the Something Good Files: A Perfectly Ordinary Day…

Posted in Something Good

Today has been wonderful in a very basic kind of way.

I went for a run this morning before it got too hot. Then I spent some time reading before meeting a friend for lunch. We had delicious Italian beef, dipped with hot peppers. A true Chicago classic.

After lunch, I headed down to the Chicago River for an hour of kayaking. I only saw one other person on the water, probably because it was over 90 degrees. Fine by me. I had the river mostly to myself as I paddled along, looking at the birds, trees, turtles, and ducks.

It’s one of the only times I exercise without listening to music. I genuinely enjoy hearing the wind, the water against the kayak, the birds, and the background hum of the city. It’s peaceful in a way that’s hard to describe.

When I got home, I took a nice cool shower, drank an ice-cold Vitamin Water, and now I’m stretched out on the couch in the air conditioning getting ready to read some more.

Nothing crazy. Nothing life-changing. Just a really good day.

And that’s the point.

All of these little things deserve to be appreciated. I’m able to exercise and move my body. I can read interesting books. I got to have lunch and a good conversation with a friend. Tasty food. A kayak. Open spaces. Nature. A cold shower. Clean drinking water. Air conditioning during a heat wave.

When you start listing them out, it turns out an ordinary day is actually full of gifts. Today reminded me that life is mostly made up of small pleasures stacked one on top of another.

  • A run before the sun gets too high.
  • An Italian beef with hot peppers.
  • An hour alone on the river.
  • A cold drink.
  • A good book.
  • A comfortable couch.

That’s a pretty wonderful way to spend a day.

It’s great to be alive.

 


Jun 26 2026 2026-06-26 2026-06-26 NoComment by Ross

Something Good: A Kayak, a Martini, and a Pretty Great Life

Posted in Something Good

From the “Something Good” files…

Today I spent an hour kayaking on the Chicago River, and it was exactly what I needed it to be.

Recently, I bought a fold-up kayak. I already own an inflatable kayak, and I can say with complete confidence that I do not like it at all. It takes forever to inflate because it has approximately 437 different air chambers that all need attention. Then, once you’re on the water, it feels less like a kayak and more like you’re paddling a giant inner tube.

Oddly enough, I also own an inflatable stand-up paddleboard that is fantastic. It feels as solid as a regular board. The kayak? Not so much.

Some friends own Oru folding kayaks and love them, so I took their recommendation… sort of. I bought a different brand entirely.

I assembled it yesterday in my kitchen to make sure I could figure it out before getting to the river. This led to a wonderful scene when my wife and daughter came home from work and found me sitting in a kayak in the middle of the kitchen.

Fortunately for me, they just rolled their eyes like “of course, Dad is just sitting in a kayak in the kitchen”

Today I carried it down to the dock behind the boathouse near my house and set it up for real. Less than ten minutes. That’s a win right there.

I launched and headed north, against the current. The kayak is on the smaller side and doesn’t exactly track like an America’s Cup yacht. It wanders a bit. Honestly, so do I.

I saw herons, turtles sunning themselves, ducks with ducklings paddling behind them, and all sorts of birds I couldn’t identify but appreciated anyway.

The amazing thing about the Chicago River is that once you’re down in it, surrounded by trees and away from the streets, you’d swear you weren’t in a major city at all. It feels like you’ve escaped to the woods somewhere.

I didn’t paddle far enough north to reach the fancy houses and private docks. Maybe next time. Today wasn’t about exploring. It was about floating. About being outside. About being quiet.

Eventually, I turned around and let the current do some of the work as I drifted back south. I spent about an hour on the water, then packed everything up in less than five minutes.

Sweet.

This is definitely going to become a regular part of my summer.

I grew up behind some lagoons where I can take the kayak. In two weeks, we’re headed to Michigan, where the kayak will make an appearance. Then later this summer it will go to Utah.

Not bad for a little folding boat that fits in the trunk of my car.

And now? An ice-cold martini, a good book, family games with my wife and daughter, pizza, and the NHL Draft on TV.

Days like this make me realize something.

For all the things I worry about, all the things I overthink, and all the times I forget to notice it…

It’s great to be alive.


Jun 25 2026 2026-06-25 2026-06-25 NoComment by Ross

Supergirl: I Don’t Get the Hate

Posted in Movies

Last night I saw Supergirl, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. In fact, it might be one of my favorite superhero movies.

I honestly don’t know why it’s getting some of the reviews it’s getting. I’ve seen reactions ranging from “it’s just okay” to “it’s horrendous.” Maybe I watched a different movie than everyone else, because I thought it was very good.

The biggest reason was Milly Alcock. She was wonderful in the title role. Based on the trailers and clips I had seen, I expected a character who was mostly snark and attitude, another variation of the wisecracking superhero that seems to populate every comic book movie these days. Instead, there was more depth than I expected. The film takes the time to develop her backstory, and that backstory helps explain why she acts the way she does. The attitude is still there, but it feels earned rather than manufactured.

Jason Momoa’s character was a bit stock, but a lot of fun.  Yeah, I said he was fun.  Snarling, ass-kicking.

Now, is this some groundbreaking cinematic achievement? No. It’s a superhero movie. The basic structure is familiar. Hero faces obstacles, battles villains, learns something about themselves, and saves the day. Frankly, most superhero movies are variations on the same recipe. If that’s your criticism, then you’re criticizing the entire genre.

For me, the real question is simpler: Was I entertained?

Absolutely.

Maybe it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but for me, Supergirl delivered exactly what I wanted. I walked out of the theater happy I had seen it, and these days that’s a pretty good recommendation.


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Jun 25 2026 2026-06-25 2026-06-13 NoComment by Ross

Morning Music…

Posted in Morning Music, Music

Pacifica – Soltame


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Jun 24 2026 2026-06-24 2026-06-13 NoComment by Ross

Morning Music….

Posted in Morning Music, Music

The Seismics – Next Wave


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Jun 23 2026 2026-06-23 2026-06-23 NoComment by Ross

Doing Things Again, But for Fun

Posted in Misc

I’ll probably teach another couple of years to qualify for my pension, but I find myself thinking more and more about what’s next.

For years, I’ve said that if I work in retirement, I want to work somewhere people want to be. Not someplace where everyone is counting the minutes until they can leave. A ski resort. A swimming pool. A health club. Somewhere associated with enjoyment.

A recent possibility occurred to me after my wife and I took a cooking class. I can’t teach a cooking class. At least not unless the class is “How to Burn Toast and Misread Recipes.” But I could absolutely be one of the helpers.

At our recent class, two younger employees were assisting the instructor. One spent most of the time washing dishes and cleaning equipment. The other did prep work, set out ingredients for each station, and generally made sure everything was where it needed to be before the students arrived.

And I found myself thinking, “I’d enjoy doing that.” In fact, during a break in class, I actually asked if they wanted help cleaning up.

I think I’d like it, not because it pays well. It doesn’t. Not because it would advance my career. At sixty years old, I’m probably done worrying about career advancement.

I think I’d enjoy it simply because I’d enjoy doing it well.

I was a short-order cook all through college and spent my senior year of high school working as a prep cook at a chain restaurant. At the time, I’m sure I complained about the job. Most teenagers complain about their jobs. Looking back, though, there was something satisfying about it.

The actual food prep wasn’t always exciting. There was an endless supply of tuna salad to make and popcorn shrimp to prep. Not exactly culinary artistry. But I worked with a great older coworker. Older, of course, meant nineteen or twenty. We’d listen to WXRT while working in the prep area and just get the job done.

What appeals to me now isn’t even the cooking.

It’s the preparation.

The mise en place.

The organization.

The cleaning.

I’d enjoy making sure every baking sheet was spotless. Every knife returned to the proper place. Every station stocked perfectly. I’d take pride in making sure each table had exactly the ingredients they needed so they could have a great experience.

There’s something almost zen about that.

Maybe that’s one of the advantages of getting older. When you’re young, every job has to be leading somewhere. You need advancement, status, money, a better title, a bigger future.  Or it’s time-filler/money while you wait to do the real thing.

Now I find myself attracted to jobs that are worthwhile for their own sake.

No ladder to climb.

No promotion to chase.

Just showing up, doing useful work, helping people have a good experience, and going home satisfied.

Maybe I’ll look into it when we get back from our three weeks in Utah.

Of course, there is one potential problem. The cooking school is attached to a kitchen store. If employees get a discount, there’s a very real possibility that my entire paycheck would immediately be spent on cast iron pans, bread knives, Dutch ovens, proofing baskets, and kitchen gadgets I absolutely do not need.

Retirement may not be as financially secure as I’ve been led to believe.