"The Greatest City in America"

... So they say, in bright white letters on every single bench throughout this city. That might be overstating it just a tad, but so far, so good. (They also call it Charm City, but I am still trying to figure that one out, too.) Anyway, since I've been here a couple weeks and am finally getting settled into an apartment, I thought it was time to share a few observations on Baltimore:

1. Whatever city employee in charge of setting those timing boxes for traffic lights should be fired. No, more than fired. More like fired, kicked in the chins and then forced to drive around the city nonstop for a week. It's all off. The major thoroughfares that are supposed to get you up- or downtown quickly by timing the lights so that at the proper speed you get all greens aren't set right. No matter what, a good 10 minutes is added to your trip through town thanks to those god-awful lights. Even on smaller streets. At first, you think it's just not your day, then you wonder if the traffic gods are out to get you, and finally you realize the timing is all screwed up for everyone and perhaps no one is in a hurry or cares enough to say something.

2. There's something about Baltimoreans and their snow balls. Every few blocks or so, there are stands set up selling snow balls. You remember them: shaved ice doused in neon sugar water perched atop flimsy paper cones? Sure, they are likely quite refreshing in this heat, but I mean, really? Snow cones? Does anyone else find that to be completely random?

3. This city is full of energy, and from what I've seen, mostly good energy. There are people out everywhere all the time. (Yes, I say this knowing full well that I have not and don't plan to venture into the neighborhoods that are mostly desolate boarded up townhouses and "no trespassing" signs.) But for the most part, you can fell the realness, the life of the city, all around. Sure, in some neighborhoods, this life sometimes morphs into a tension, an uncertainty of what feels poised to happen, but it all adds up to an energy I like.

4. One Web site nebulously explained that it's called the Charm City because of all the charms here, such as museums and culture. Okay. But on a recent drive out to a Target north of town exposed me one potential charm: The Great Blacks in Wax Museum (now on my to-do list), and one just random image that I am still trying to figure out: Picture a properly-uniformed policeman sitting regally atop one of those hairy-booted Clydesdale horses, meandering through the paved streets. Now, replace the Clydesdale with a regular old mangy white horse and replace the policeman with a slouched black man donning an oversized white T-shirt, black cargo pants, sneakers, a side-cocked cap, and a touch of bling around his neck. I kid you not. This was the image - the charm, perhaps, I saw wandering down the street. In retrospect, I wonder if he was riding near a park (maybe he rented a horse for a day?), but I can't picture the park, and can only this random rider on the gritty streets of Baltimore.

So those are just a few of my initial thoughts on this city. We just moved into our new apartment, which basically just meant brining over a couple bags of clothes and a box or two we hauled from city to city and placing them pathetically in the middle of the hardwood floor. Really, we have nothing. In fact, this cavernous palace of an apartment (c'mon my point of reference is a single room in Chicago where I could basically reach the fridge, my desk and the bed without getting out of my one chair) seems unfillable.

And as much as I talked about really wanting a couch and how that would be my first purchase, the day we signed the lease we were at Wal-mart buying a grill and four plastic deck chairs for the back deck. The next day: Hula girl lights to string up. Sure, there may not be a stitch of furniture in the entire place, but we are ready for BBQs on the back deck. Priorities, I guess.