iowa vs. minnesota, cont.

Reason #32 Iowa is better than Minnesota:

Iowa's on its way to a record-breaking winter in snow and ice-fall. Experiencing a string of cold-ass Minnesota days and nights but an otherwise relatively mild snow accumulation, I've been on the receiving end of many shoveling, driving, ice-picking, and all around weather combating complaints over the past few weeks. There's either a half inch of ice to chisel off the drive, cancelled school days (thus delayed summer vacations), or daily shoveling and snow banks high as the shoulders to contend with.

Despite all this, I still prefer Iowa and look forward to spending winters there.

my state versus the world

Reason #68 Iowa is better than Minnesota: Caucuses.

The Minnesota "vote gathering gathering" was so disorganized that there was no forum for discussion. I'd be amazed if 70% of the voters who showed signed the registration logs that were passed over heads like a crowd-surfer. This blamed on unexpected and overwhelming turnout--this despite the consistent overwhelming turnout in each state that held a caucus or primary which began with Iowa. Iowa adapted and instead of precint captains throwing up their hands when it was evident the crowds wouldn't fit into the designated venues, they took the time to get it right.
*
Reason #114 Iowa is better than Minnesota: Netflix delivery.

Even though Netflix has a distribution center in Minneapolis, a mere 75 minutes from my home in KatoTown, I get my Netflix movies a day earlier when I'm 4 1/2 hours away in Iowa.

is it time yet? no? how about now?

Nine more days until I'm on the road, east of Mankato for a little bit, then south for a lotta bit and on down into my state.

Iowa

eye oh wha

I love Iowa and what it contains. Places, people; especially the people; my people. I have my departure day programmed into my phone. As if I'll forget. As if there's not a to-the-second running clock somewhere in the folds of my brain that, if I concentrated hard enough, I could access and know how many hours and minutes I am away from Iowa. I didn't get to see Iowa's September or October and I know that when I'm back for good, it will be like those months never existed.

I need this break. Three books came in the mail about two weeks ago--Into the Wild by John Krakauer, Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, and Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracey Kidder--and all I want to do is read them. When I walk past my bookshelf I see myself in a hotel room in Iowa City, on top of a stiff and thin comforter, starting Into the Wild at 7 or 8 and reading until I'm finished. It's been too long since this has happened.

I have to get out of here, just for a few days. I want Iowa to be now.

So, is it time yet?