In a most excellent article about the happy, happy times in Chicago these last two weeks, the New York Times makes one big mistake. It could be because the reporter only interviewed famous people whom New Yorkers would recognize, like Rick Bayless and Scott Turow.
The quote I'm referring to is this:
If the country is set to see more of Chicago over the next four years — many people across the city here are too humble, nervous and practical to automatically assume Mr. Obama will be in office for eight years — at least one introductory lesson is in order.
See why I disagree down below.
A New Wind Blowing
This is a delightful article, and made my whole family smile and glow this morning as we read excerpts to each other. But no one I know is thinking only four years. In fact, everyone I know is totally on board with the the eight year deal, leading up to the Olympics in 2016. We talk about which states will go from Red to Blue in 2012, how big the popular vote margin will be, if there will be another Grant Park party, you know, the how happy can you get, how sweet can your dreams be?
However, dear Kossacks, there is one guy in Chicago, and it's probably a guy (but maybe not, I don't know) who gets the sweetest dreams of all. He's the administrator for the University of Chicago who gets paid to think ahead 10 years, 25 years and 50 years, deep into the future of the college and the Hyde Park community.
He gets to go to sleep every night thinking "Presidential Library."
Of course the U of Chicago will get the Barack Hussein Obama Presidential Library. (It's probably already a done deal.) And in my house, it's our favorite topic of conversation right now. My husband will just have retired in 2016 or so, right about the time the U of C will be looking for docents to train. Heck, he could even apply to run the periodicals/publications department as there are sure to be some magazines and books that are regularly produced by the library.
Since I have bookstore experience, I can go and help plan and operate the coolest bookstore/gift shop in the country. Wouldn't that be fun?
And what a great uplift for the South Side of Chicago. We even decided that with consultation with the City that one of the buildings that would have to be up and running for the 2016 Olympics could transform into the library. The huge media center for example. Build it for the Olympics, sell it at a profit to the Presidential Library Commission which has already been consulted and make it adaptable to future uses. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
I'm getting in my application early.
See you at the Library in about 10 years.