December in the City of Chicago

As was once written, “loving Chicago is like loving a woman with a broken nose.” For Chicago’s infamously erratic climate and getting around its streets, nothing could be more opposite of reality. While the benefits of a home in the city compensate for these two inconveniences, there is more reason residents like to jest that there are really just a couple times of year in the city, the winter and building season. While winter in Chicago can be unrelenting, there are several cities where the regular winter temperatures are noticeably icier. However, for Chicagoans, specifically those who live or work downtown, the cold is a more notable element of everyday life in the cold months than other northern Midwest places. The main reason this is the case is many residents use public transportation to get around. Given this, residents spend more time commuting on foot outdoors than in many other places with, maybe, the exception of New York City, where they drive and only have to walk a short distance outdoors to get to their destination. Chicago’s public transportation is much better than most major American towns, but it is rough in the cold months. But, Chicagoans don’t look twice. If somebody has lived in Chicago long enough, inevitably he or she will hear somebody claiming that there isn’t any gloomy weather, just bad winter clothes. There is an element of fact to this statement as nearly all except the most dangerous of wintery blizzards can be managed with some amount of ease if one dons the proper winter clothes. A visitor to the city will notice that this is for sure the case for almost all Chicagoans every winter. It’s not unusual to see up-to-date and good-looking men or women toss all fashion sensibilities out and wrap themselves in bulky winter clothes with no regard to personal appearance the minute temperatures start to hover around zero. Adding to the winter weather disparaging, winter traffic could be its own challenge to navigate. One reason is that the tough weather, with its numerous ices and thaws can be a disaster to local streets. Add to it the hefty helping of salt each and every year used to melt snow and it’s no wonder that tire-busting potholes are a winter hallmark. The local department of transportation works hard to cover the issue of potholes every winter, even encouraging city residents to report potholes by calling 311. But, with over four thousand miles of street to service, sometimes it can be a fight for Chicago to catch up after a very rash hit of winter storms. While it’s an inarguable reality Chicago’s weather is a challenge, when spring and summer do at last come, there is no other place that meets it with such enthusiasm and energy, quickly forgetting the scars of the winter.

Sam Macks was raised rebuilding his toys simply so he could repair them. He is an expert in