99.9% of my interests have me surrounded

by non-conservatives.

Let me count.

1. urban planning
2. academia (sociology, education)
3. the arts (movies, theater, books/writing, photography, fashion)
4. non-profits focusing on disadvantage youth
5. just learned that CSO clarinetist, John Bruce Yeh, is a social moron aka social "progressive."

Okay, not really #5. But seriously, the man tweets are nothing about music; instead it's being about pro-choice and how the rainbow flag makes his eyes like "lasers."

As an ex-liberal, I have gained interests in -

1. guns and gun-rights
2. showed new interest in my faith and have embraced traditionalism
3. feel no contempt for the suburbs and country, small town life in spite of me being an urbanite for most of his life
4.  I like the South and the Midwest

Neither "progressive" nor "conservative" interest that is politically flavorless -

1. camping
2. ...
3.

That's it for neutrality. Well, unless you count all those granola munchers then I guess it can tilt towards modernism. Cooking seems like a 50/50 fight. We got your vegan, gluten-free camp and your carnivores. The only thing annoying at first about political cooking is the MGO and organic talk. Once you get over that and just buy the chicken that's available it's all about the cookin'.

Upon reflection, it's really where I'm located that adds to the annoyance. I live in one of the most populated US cities, and my original political stance, one that is of a modern liberal color, has made me very aware and familiar with such a mentality and outlook.

I won't be dropping any of my interests - okay, maybe my quest to an advanced degree in the social sciences - but it does make what I have to hear and experience all the more frustrating.

For example, urban transportation geeks tend to salivate at high-speed rails (I sorta as well), but I don't go about complaining in a way that makes the US like some underdeveloped country (it's not, besides Japan it's the most technologically advanced for its size). I'd love a high-speed rail system connecting Midwestern cities like Milwaukee, Madison, Chicago, Champaign-Urbana metro, Peoria, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Detroit, Louisville, Cincinnati, Columbus and Pittsburgh. The geeks that go about it tend to direct their anger at two sets of people: the first being the car drivers (Hello, LA!) and the second are politicians who are in bed with business men. They, the geeks, never bring up costs, never bring up the positives in being in debt nor do they ever bring up job replacements for those who make a living manufacturing cars (ironic because almost all car manufacturers are overseas -- globalization of American interests have created jobs, European interests? Not so much.). "Feel-good" types don't understand how an economic system works, or if they do they are of the Keynesian bent. People who focus on urban planning are morons at math and finance. It's like their brain rejects it because it makes things too complicated and in the end finances are dream killers.

Snow and its "power." Trendy stuff and its "power."

More like effect it has on me. It lifts up my soul, just a tad, when I'm feeling down or when I'm troubled. Time slows down for me.

Unlike rain.

Now onto a narcissistic, first-world "problem" of mine.

Back in December I was deciding to get new snow boots. Where I live when it snows it snows. It's not as bad, as say Minnesota, or the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (U.P. for short). I went onto L.L. Bean's site to weigh my options of their heralded  "8 winter boots. I was late to the party. The size I wanted was back ordered until May. I checked other widths to see if they too were back ordered. Sure enough, they were - till April or June. It even made the news, here and here.

This sort of back order I never experienced before. I mostly order online when I can because my sizes are hard to find in a normal brick & mortar store.

Since today it's snowing it reminded me of this "problem." I re-visited the site to relive that "da fuq" moment.

I knew they were immensely popular amongst those who A) have worn them all their lives in conditions that called for it - sort of like a trusted brand in families that might stick to a certain dishwasher or washing machine or car, or B) the more fashion conscious crowd. I don't necessarily fall into the latter because I actually need these types of boots where I live; I just want to "upgrade" my old boots so I did my research which led to the L.L. Bean boot.

This back order urges me to question: Of those that do purchase them for their intended wear (snow, rain), how many purchase them that do not live in places where such boots are necessary? (I saw pictures of people wearing these in a pile of leaves, and some - obviously made for a fashion site/blog - wearing them on a bridge with no snow, rain ... Or leaves, wearing blazers. In the picture it looked like a mild 55 degrees.) So when people like me, when met with days with several feet of snow, need them they're SOL.

According to boston.com -

 Why the increase in sales? Well, blame teens and millennials.

“Younger people are buying them. They’re all over college campuses and high schools,” Beem said. “Without changing anything, they’re back in style.”

You see that little white cloud hovering over states like Illinois, Indiana and Michigan? Those are the places that actually need winter boots like the L.L. Bean boot. How many hipsters live in said states? Besides the city of Chicago, not many I bet.  States like Main and Vermont need them. The New England region? Yes. People in San Francisco? No. Seattle or Portland? Not really, unless you live in small towns that are nearer the wilderness. L.A.? No. NYC? Okay, sure. College campuses where it doesn't snow heavily during winter? You don't need them.

It's a good thing people who wear fake eye glasses don't back order the style I want.