I came across an amazing graphic years ago that I still think about on the regular - a Thrillist thing called “Illinois as Seen by Chicago.” Check it out if you haven’t caught it before.
I’m from “Soda.” The map really should have something like “Parties” down where Carbondale is.
Anyway, great job showcasing Illinois as microcosm. I think sometimes I take a bit for granted that I grew up in a state with so much sociopolitical diversity, and with so many ways to get between the many, many types of points A and B.
45-year Chicagoan here! Born on Long Island, spent a couple of years in Mpls, and the family landed here when I was 9. My sister moved to St Louis when I was in my early 20s. At her bridal shower the next year, my East Coast relatives were flabbergasted that none of us considered that 5-hour drive onerous. Boring? Absolutely! But a 5-hour drive between 2 “neighboring” big cities was inconceivable to them.
Illinois has its problems, but I can’t think of another state I’d want to live in. Papal and Obama bragging rights. All the seasons. Reproductive rights. What more could you want?
THIS IS STYX ERASURE, and I will not have it! I just saw them in January at the Celebrity Theater in Phoenix, a theater in the round, which I had never experienced. Every seat was a great seat because the stage rotated, you only had to wait for the guys to come around to video a brief clip to send to your children who humored you by watching it (or not). I sang and elbowed my husband when they played certain songs and got a little teary eyed as I sang along to 'The Best of Times'. And it was.
Just as a silly thing that I know you and I share, Will, Illinois is, in my opinion, the center of scholastic bowl in the US. The Masonic Bowl and the IHSA state championship are two of the oldest competitions in the country. In fact, the current Jeopardy champion happens to be my buddy Pete McFerrin, who was the captain of the 1999 Class AA scholastic bowl state champion team from IMSA.
Great stuff! I read a book a few years ago that noted Illinois is the most demographically representative state in the United States---i.e. most closely mirrors the national demographic breakdown.
A Jay Bennett “sighting”!
I came across an amazing graphic years ago that I still think about on the regular - a Thrillist thing called “Illinois as Seen by Chicago.” Check it out if you haven’t caught it before.
https://share.google/kfnHX0dBMEK0WtDpc
I’m from “Soda.” The map really should have something like “Parties” down where Carbondale is.
Anyway, great job showcasing Illinois as microcosm. I think sometimes I take a bit for granted that I grew up in a state with so much sociopolitical diversity, and with so many ways to get between the many, many types of points A and B.
You forgot Chicago...
The band...
Personally, I feel Chicago should be the number one band on the list. Their number of hits is endless.
45-year Chicagoan here! Born on Long Island, spent a couple of years in Mpls, and the family landed here when I was 9. My sister moved to St Louis when I was in my early 20s. At her bridal shower the next year, my East Coast relatives were flabbergasted that none of us considered that 5-hour drive onerous. Boring? Absolutely! But a 5-hour drive between 2 “neighboring” big cities was inconceivable to them.
Illinois has its problems, but I can’t think of another state I’d want to live in. Papal and Obama bragging rights. All the seasons. Reproductive rights. What more could you want?
Let's go, Knicks! I want revenge for 1999.
I see what you did there with the featured image.
THIS IS STYX ERASURE, and I will not have it! I just saw them in January at the Celebrity Theater in Phoenix, a theater in the round, which I had never experienced. Every seat was a great seat because the stage rotated, you only had to wait for the guys to come around to video a brief clip to send to your children who humored you by watching it (or not). I sang and elbowed my husband when they played certain songs and got a little teary eyed as I sang along to 'The Best of Times'. And it was.
Just as a silly thing that I know you and I share, Will, Illinois is, in my opinion, the center of scholastic bowl in the US. The Masonic Bowl and the IHSA state championship are two of the oldest competitions in the country. In fact, the current Jeopardy champion happens to be my buddy Pete McFerrin, who was the captain of the 1999 Class AA scholastic bowl state champion team from IMSA.
Great stuff! I read a book a few years ago that noted Illinois is the most demographically representative state in the United States---i.e. most closely mirrors the national demographic breakdown.
You left off (admittedly very bad) Chicago Stars from your sports team list - The NWSL rocks!
They should have been on there, yes!
That was a lot of fun. Thanks. Looking forward to the next 49.
Same!
Nerd alert. It's not the Paul Simon that most of us would think of, but Paul Simon the Congressman and then Senator.
Really enjoyed this, Will! Hearing about the state and its history from a local perspective is really interesting to me!