7 new things

Ah, tagging time again! This time, I have Rich to thank. Seven things about me. A slight discount from the last time, which was eight fascinating facts...

1. Let's start at the beginning. I was born in Riverside, Calif., home of the historic Mission Inn (above), in the wonderful state that was described in the WPA Guide to California. Those were the days of "slightly higher west of the Rockies." If the Golden State were still like it was in the 30s, we'd see few Californians moving to Prescott -- and I might consider living there again.

2. Two aunts and one uncle attended Antioch College in Ohio; therefore, no surprise that's where I finished my higher education. I loved the place and my days there, but we parted ways as the school became more and more doctrinaire left and I spiraled off in a western /libertarian direction.

3. Since I don't particularly care for soft cheeses, I can't qualify as a foodie. Better the kind of cheddar that comes in the black packaging, meaning that it bites back. Even better: those 5-, 7- and 12-year aged cheddars from Canada, where folks take their cheese very seriously.

4. I learned to read with the Oz books. An aunt bought two in the series, started to read them to me, then became bored with the project. The only solution was to do the reading myself.

5. Never learned to drive. Problem: it was the war years, my father had an A card & was honest. Therefore, there was no excess gasoline for my lessons using the family car. Then I spent all those years in the Big City with plenty of public transportation -- no need to drive.

6. I loved my years in Chicago. Where else would a socialist alderman have the clout to fix a parking ticket? Somehow, in Chicago, you had the feeling that almost anyone could reach out to those in power, unlike, say NYC.

7. Why Arizona? Lots of family here at one time -- my father's family arrived in Phoenix in 1916 and my mother was born there while her parents were on a leisurely trip to take a look at California, purpose: relocating from the Dakotas. Arizona always held a soft spot in my heart.

OK, now for the fun part: tagging others. Let's see, how about:

* The String Bag
* Vinegar & Honey
* Life's Free Treats
* PrescottStyle
* Loosely Speaking
* The Singing Bird
* and last, but not least, a new local blogger, Home Sweet Prescott, to get him started off properly by being amongst the tagged. RE in AZ also has begun an ambitious second blog about our most critical problem -- water.