I was born and raised in Milwaukee, and – for the most part – I really like it here. It’s not perfect, and of late we have problems with increased violence that are disconcerting. We also have the problems a lot of other larger cities have, including homelessness and a public education system that is disastrous.

There are charming things in Milwaukee such as ethnic festivals and church festivals all summer long, one of the better zoos in the country, a fairly good bus system, and a host of other things. We also tend to drink more beer and brandy than a lot of other places (I can’t explain the brandy thing), and we’ll eat just about anything you can stuff into a length of pig intestine and throw on a grill. People greet each other on the street and often go out of their way to help other people – even people they don’t know.

Of course, every place has its weaknesses. We aren’t long on fashion sense, and a good number of us are more comfortable in jeans and a T-shirt than anything else. Some things, however, defy explanation. I guess you have to take the bad with the good.