Years ago, I created a Google alert. Any time my name is mentioned on the internet, I get an email with a link to the article. I did this so long ago I’d actually forgotten all about it, so I… Read More ›
Midwest
I Survived the Polar Vortex (But Didn’t Even Get a Lousy T-Shirt)
Well, that was fun. My first Polar Vortex was actually a bit underwhelming. Sure, it was cold. But Rapid City never even dropped below zero. We came close: it was 1° Wednesday morning. When I woke up and looked at… Read More ›
Connecting the Dot’s
The moment we arrived in South Dakota last summer, we were inundated with pretzels. They popped up everywhere we went, ubiquitous bags with a bold red logo. We had never heard of Dot’s Homestyle Pretzels before, but it quickly became… Read More ›
Literally Greener
Saturday afternoon, I was jolted from a peaceful reverie by the blaring wail of a warning siren. I raced to the window, looking for the source of the ear-splitting racket, convinced I’d see either an approaching tornado or an incoming… Read More ›
Homeless Crisis Averted
I am happy to report that we will not be homeless in Rapid City. Not that I actually thought that would happen, but I will admit that I flew into a quasi-panic the other day when I realized two things:… Read More ›
From Chinook to Chislic
I came across an article in Portland Monthly last week on bierocks, a Midwestern staple that resembles a glorified Hot Pocket. Apparently I am not the only one who has never heard of them because Microsoft Word doesn’t recognize the… Read More ›
Not Montana
I was in the kitchen at work the other day and one of the RMs walked in for a cup of coffee. “So, I hear you’re moving!” he said to me. “Montana, is it?” I corrected him, but couldn’t help… Read More ›
What’s a “Swinged Cat,” Anyway?!
Like most states, South Dakota has several different nicknames. Most are not surprising. It is called, among other things: The Mount Rushmore State The Coyote State The Sunshine State The Blizzard State The Land of Infinite Variety But one nickname… Read More ›