The last day in Bloomington. For reals this time.
The last cup of coffee was a late afternoon run to the west side Bloomingfoods, then sitting on the Courthouse Square and watching things happen. The happening was that there were a lot of people being dicks to each other. I mean, I saw one guy just outright steal a parking spot from a woman.
The last meal was poutine. I think that, for a true "last meal," that this would actually be one of my top choices. And the poutine here, at The Owlery, is good, though not the best I've had. Strangely, I've always had better poutine in the US than I have in Canada. Poutine in Canada can be pretty gross. A popular version has cut-up hot dogs in it.
The last bike ride was down Prospect Hill, across Walnut at 4th Street, past the collection of ethnic restaurants, up Indiana past the Sample Gates, down 7th to the Union, then across campus slowly as I dodged pedestrians, and hoped that they would look up from their cell phones just long enough to see me approaching. IU has the worst bike access I've seen at any campus in the country.
The last beer was at The Bishop. A half-pint of Dark Horse's Crooked Tree IPA, one of many Midwest beers that I will miss, as they're unavailable in all but a few, select areas. At The Bishop, our haunt for these years, I came to say good-bye to the owner, our adopted friendly bartender, and it was an awkward mix of who he knows in the Southwest, questions about my trip, and life in California, then into a long story I had already heard. The bar was full, though the booths empty, and I recognized most of the people, which was depressing. I think mostly because I had talked with most of them before, and I didn't like them, personally. Any of them.
That may sound depressing, but it's more in line with the rest of these experiences today. I really hated living here. I got through it because I love my wife and wanted to be close to her. I can spout off so many reasons why I think this city sucks so much, but it won't do any good.
Ironically, the last Bloomington event was a lecture about economic development, and how cities can attract the young millenials that they all seem to want. I don't consider myself a true millenial, though I'm technically there (1981 is the cut-off) and I do have a number of undeniably millenial traits, but I couldn't help laughing to myself about how I'm likely the younger, skilled "creative class" that they're looking for (though my entrepreneurial spirit is almost nil), and how I'm leaving and wish I could have left earlier. Even Indianapolis. I mean, I enjoyed spending time in Indianapolis, but all the money that I earned and could have earned up there through my skillset means nothing to me, as a millenial, because I'm more focused on quality of life. And that quality is not there in this region.
But, just as I kept my mouth shut there, I'm keeping my mouth shut about details here. It doesn't matter. My bitching and complaining never changed anything, and the fact always was that I was an outsider here and, because of that, not qualified to change things for the better regardless of my willingness to work to help that change. You're either in it for life or you're out altogether.
Today I'm taken to Champaign. To continue my Bloomington-bashing, Champaign is the city that Bloomington really should be: a pleasant and well-put-together Midwestern college town. If Champaign was Champaign, but had Bloomington's topography and natural beauty in its surroundings, then Champaign would be one of the more desirable places to live in the country. But Champaign is flat, cold, windy and ugly on all sides with, literally, the aesthetic charm of a cornfield by an interstate. However, I always have a good time there and plan to do so again today and tonight.
I've been skimping on the videos because my drives have consisted of ten minutes, at the most, but I'll start back up today. No pictures either, because, honestly, I just don't feel inspired to take any here.
No comments:
Post a Comment