Chicago

While working in Chicago this week I walked from an event at the Newberry Library (subject for a future posting) back to the Hilton Hotel for the dinner event I was attended hosted by the libertarian think tank, Heartland Institute (www.heartland.org).

As I glanced at the shop windows I noticed one storefront was the campus book store (www.lib.colum.edu) for an arts/film studies-dominated school known as "Columbia College Chicago" founded in 1890 according to the t-shirt I purchased for my wife :-) Upon entering the store I knew I was the only "suit" in the store surrounded by art students so to say I stood out like a nun in a bordello would be an understatement. While glancing through the bargain book section as all us cheap German farmers are compelled to do I met the manager of this book store who was named Sonya (hopefully I got the spelling correct). Sonya was a very personable and helpful mother of two children so I think she was very comfortable in this particular book store ( surrounded by young students) since her mothering qualities shown brightly. She took me under her wing to introduce me to an entirely new genre of writing on pop culture which I can assure readers I would not have explored on my own -- as evidenced by the fact that the other book I purchased at this store was a biography of US President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Sonya had the staff work with me to find the ideal t-shirt for my wife and also had one student confirm for me that the book "IV" that I purchased on pop-culture was a good one for me to read to stir up some creative thinking. Overall it was great to be back on "campus" again even though it was not my alma mater. Not only did I leave the store with two interesting books to read but also with a lapel pin from Sonya that read, "Create Change", coupled with a renewed faith that at least some of today's college students have their act together.

Walk through some new doors today,

Todd