First of all, I'm a Midwesterner, being from Kansas, and Chicago is basically a big Midwestern cow town. It was built from the stockyards, and everyone is very friendly, and it's at the edge of the tallgrass prairie. There's just a good feel to it.

A journalist enjoys a privileged position. In exchange for not being able to participate in the rough-and-tumble issues of a community, we are given license to observe it all, based on the understanding that we'll tell everyone what happens fairly and squarely. That's harder than it sounds.

Movie stars and singers never fully pass away because their images are replayed on film and recordings, over and over.

Politics is still the No. 1 sport in town and the scoreboard shows the U.S. attorney's office leading.

On my football field, I know what bliss is. My team cuddles more than the missus. We won't inject drugs, just oodles of hugs. I warm up my team with some kisses.

I have an affinity for Africa, especially East Africa, and Kansas looks very much like that.

I think there's value in experience and observations that link past to present.