I'm actively working on moving back to Chicago after moving to NC during the pandemic. My sister was living here with me and her car got shot up at her workplace parking lot during a gang shooting. In Durham, NC. So yeah.

We used to live off Shoe Factory where the Giraffe House was. Our library was in Elgin, and I really miss it, and the park district facilities and activities. Then we moved to Ohio when our kids were in elementary school. It’s amazing, the number of people here who have never been to Chicago but feel fully qualified to judge everything negative they hear as true. Our kid lives in the city. He’s careful, of course, but also doesn’t live in fear.

I live in Southern Illinois and the red hats here just won't shut up about it. There was even a question on our election forms asking if people in So.IL were interested in our counties talking about creating a separate state from the Chicago area. We would have nothing if that happened.

And they are worried about other people's weapons.