Guys, Here Are Your Answers

In response to the questions posed by the Just Two Guys, I submit my answers here and at their site:

Many people say there is nothing to do in Springfield. Do you agree with this statement?

No. This is a common complaint among youth and I think it’s heard almost everywhere. Perhaps they complain a little less in the larger metropolitan areas (because there is, in fact, more to do) but they all get bored at times and whine about it.

A common complaint about Springfield is that there is a serious lack of shopping. Do you agree or disagree?

There isn’t much I need/want that I can’t get here. Besides, I do much of my non-food shopping online. As long as Springfield has a working internet connection, I’m good to go.

I suspect this complaint is really rooted in there not being a really cool place to shop like Michigan Avenue or the Galleria. Well, guess what folks, you’re not all that far away from those places. Springfield is lucky to be positioned within driving distance of both Chicago and St. Louis.

Is Springfield headed in the right direction?

Generally, Yes.

In your opinion, has Springfield gotten better in the last 10-20 years or has it gotten worse?

Oh, much better. I would actually extend that back 25 -30 years when the downtown was in ruinous shambles. It was a horrible place. The re-emergence of downtown has to be the greatest thing that’s happened to this city recently.

Anyone remember the idiotic “commissioner” form of government we used to have here? City government is much better now.

The turning point for the city was sometime in the early to mid 1980s. It’s a totally different place now.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?

Some place warm would be nice in the winter. Although it is hard for me to imagine not having the seasons as I’ve come to know them here in Illinois. The older I get, the more I hate winter in general. But even winter offers that first snow which is still magical and calming to me. I suppose I could always visit a snowy place and then quickly retreat to my warm Florida residence.

On a more practical level, I would also like to live somewhere that has good universal healthcare (France or Germany, not Canada or Britain). Worrying about where healthcare is going to come from is a big turn off to me. Let’s call this place Future America.

Why do you choose to live in Springfield?

I have left Springfield three times in my life, each time with the intention of never returning (to live, anyway). And three times, after years of absence, I have come back. It’s Home Base. My friends and family are here. When everything else goes wrong there is still Springfield.

A couple of things that make Springfield kind of attractive, including the cost of living (housing is affordable) and there really isn’t a long commute to anywhere you need to go. Cheap and convenient aren’t bad things for a city to be.

How would you describe the people of Springfield?

Provincial, short-sighted, way too Republican, bad drivers. But I like them anyway.

What is your opinion of the job situation in Springfield?

For a town this size, it’s not too bad. At least I think it’s about average. There is very little by way of manufacturing but state government and the medical industry are big pluses for the city’s economy.