John Colton's blog

I got to thinking a couple of days ago about reasons why I like living in La Crosse. Of course there's plusses & minues, but here are some of the plusses. And I'm sure I've left some off the list, but these are the ones that sprang immediately to mind.

• People smile & say "Hi" to strangers on the street (this was the item that kind of started me thinking; when I went to Madison last month I was really taken aback that people on the sidewalk would look down and refuse to make eye contact as I walked by)
• Nice neighbors
• 7 minute commute (8 minutes by bike)
• La Crosse Chamber Chorale, an excellent community choir that I can sing in. (And a 7 minute drive to choir practice!)
• A good, thriving, undergraduate physics program at UW-L (and good co-workers in the Physics Dept)
• Area festivals (Riverfest, Jazzfest, sand sculpting by the river, Cornfest, Applefest, etc)
• Fireworks on July 4th and Dec 31st
• Good schools
• City programs for the kids
• Seeing people I know about 50% of the time I go into a store, restaurant, musical event, etc.
• Not worrying too much that stuff will "wander off" if not locked up 100% of the time ("slippery", as the Book of Mormon would call it)
• (later addition, thanks to Todd E.) The gorgeous bluffs & Mississippi river