From: Margaret Nix
Date: Thu Jan 20, 2000 3:24:07 PM America/New_York

Hi, Son! Haven't heard from you in a long time, it seems. I hope you all did get the letter I wrote thanking you for the check for Christmas. I worry about mail because they say Chicago has the worst system in the country. They talk about it on the TV news sometimes. School is getting into full swing now. I go to two more classes this week than I have been doing. (That makes 3.) Will pick up two more in February. I saw the headline on the Yahoo page that DC has had a big snow storm. Hope you all are warm and able to travel. Here there is ice and snow and pretty terrible cold, but the secret to survival here is truly dressing in layers. Today I put on five layers to come to school (no coat) and have taken off a couple of layers since I've been here. You wrap up your head and neck and face, and hands and wear warm socks and boots. This morning I bought one of those luggage carriers with wheels for my bag and, boy, I should have done that before now. It makes so much difference not to have a heavy bag strapped across your back. Even getting on and off the bus is easier. There is an art to living in Chicago.

It gets pretty lonely here at times, but I try to keep busy with studying, and that makes the time go by. I have been out hiking around my neighborhood and even a little around the loop downtown. When I have plenty of clothes on, I love walking in the cold. I have only missed one day since I have been here, going out and about. The trick is not to slip on the ice, but they are pretty good about scraping the sidewalks and streets here. Last night around midnight, I thought the world was ending, there was so much noise outside my window.I got up and looked out, only to see the streetscrapper pushing snow down the alley.

I got some help from a couple of men who live where I do, and got my bookcase and books and computer out of storage, so my little tiny room is full up. Besides my bookcase and the bed (narrow single bed), I have a student desk and a beauro (with no mirror), so what space is left is about a foot wide path down the middle of the room. Mighty tight! Sometimes I get a little stir crazy and I go down to the coffee shop across the street from DePaul University campus and sit for hours along with other grad students (from DePaul) who are studying and drinking coffee. Study, study, study—that's the name of the game.

There is a psychiatrist who lives at Arlington House (he is a cancer patient, taking Chemo, not practicing medicine)and at meal times, he and I have good conversations sometimes. He really infuriated me one day, however, because he said that psychiatrists were "managers" and psychologists were "clerks".

Damn, man, I wanted to say—all you know how to do is prescribe pills, but I didn't say anything. I was pleased to hear at orientation when they were telling us about our practicums (interships) that they wanted us to have one that had a licensed psychologist as our supervisor, not a psychicatrist—because, they said, psychologists have a different viewpoint that psychiatrists. I'll say they do! I really already love my school, and I know I picked the right one for me.

Please let me hear from you. I look forward to getting email—nobody sends letters thru the postal service.

Oh, I got a little cell phone. The number is 773-450-xxxx. It has voice mail even when the phone is not on, which is nice. I get 200 minutes of air time a month for $39.00, and long distance is free, except on weekends. Presently, however, because the wind and snow are pretty bad, the radio wave has too much statis for long distance. I like it because I have been able to conduct local business, with bank etc. from my room. The stormy weather doesn't seem to interfere with local calls. Sally is long distance, so we haven't talked in about a week—since the bad weather. She and Lester both have been sick with flu. I got a flu shot—first time ever, but I am good and healthy, even tho' everybody around me is coughing etc. So, it was a good thing, taking the shot.

Well, I need to take a look at tonight's class assignment, so will close. Just writing boring stuff anyhow.

Love, M