Whew!

Crisis averted...Macbook up and running. Yes, this is a bit late of an update and, yes, a lot of stuff has been going on in my whirlwind of a life, but I thought since I made such a fuss in my last posting I should address the status of the comp. But this is assuming anyone really cares, which I am sure isn't necessarily the case. Nonetheless, blogging is quite narcissistic and, therefore, I am giving any of my blog readers the benefit of the doubt ;)

Now that the update is covered let's get to the crux of this posting: I was raised in where Forbes.com is currently claiming to be the number one place to raise a family. Check out the article -- I ain't lyin'. Corn-fed and well-bred! That's what goes down in the Hamilton County! And lucky for me I grew up in the county seat aka Noblesville, IN, where our high school mascot is a Miller... yes, a glorified farmer. I am a bit curious as to how one can measure this finding over an extended period of time. Sure, I see the value in gauging a city's (or in this case county's) worthy-hood of being a place to raise kids by looking at crime stats, air pollution, cost of living, and the local school systems. But you must also look at the underlying characteristics of such places these levels of criteria give you. I mean -- you can live in BFE, middle-of-freakin' nowhere with no one to potentially rob you, where housing is inexpensive (because no one wants to live there), and where the air is clean because there isn't a single person for miles around. Granted this isn't exactly what Hamilton County is like, you have to take into consideration the aspects of the world and living you don't get or have access to when you live in Noblesville, IN, Suburbia Kansas, or any of the other places on the Forbes list. And I'm not only talking about the convenience of urban amenities. I'm talking mainly about the diversity of opinions, lifestyles, racial and ethnic demographics, political stances, etc. -- the list could go on. Growing up with surroundings that can challenge you to think out of your comfortable, suburban bubble, I think will keep you more open-minded in the end. Obviously, the aim of this Forbes list isn't to tell prospective or current parents where to raise their children to be challengers of the status quo...unless you are a fluke and one of the Haddad kids...