Top 10 list of what I miss about the Midwest

#10. Streets laid out in a north south east west grid

#9. The Chicago skyline from a distance 

#8. The distinction in seasons, even if winter spills over into late April and Indian Summer lasts throughout October

#7. Prairie landscapes

#6. Bonfires & pigs roasting in the ground

#5. Freight trains stretched out as far as the eye can see

#4. Ethnic diversity

#3. The most incredible Sunsets on the planet 

#2 Food you can’t find anywhere else, especially Portillos

#1. Straightforward Midwesterner bluntness.