I don’t venture outside the Twin Cities very often, so today’s road trip up to Brainerd for a work event was something of a novelty for me. I think I passed more trees and fields in one day than I have in the past couple years of commuting. I’m a city kid at heart, but I can understand the appeal of rural living: the abundance of open space, the slower pace of life, the lower price of almost everything, the intimate familiarity with neighbors. I could probably even learn to tolerate the plethora of Michelle Bachmann lawn signs that litter the landscape. But I would soon miss the conveniences and amenities of my urban existence: art house movie theaters, comic book shops, skyways, and underground parking.
These infrequent day trips are great for appreciating greater Minnesota, but they also remind that home is waiting for me.
